Using a technology that has been around for some time, researchers from Sydney University have perfected a battery that could perform 4 times better than existing lithium ion batteries. The implications for this are far reaching. Lithium is found in commercial scales in only a few locations around the world. Mining lithium is toxic and destructive to the local environment, uses vast amounts of water and is energy intensive. All this makes lithium rather expensive.

Sea Water Batteries

Using Sodium Sulphate, which can be extracted from sea water, this new battery could mean an end for lithium as a mass market battery material. This latest development requires perfecting further and proven on a commercial scale, but initial tests are very encouraging.

Molten Salt Battery

The molten salt battery could be far cheaper to produce and still provide more power for longer. This is great news for countries that have emissions targets (Are there any that haven't?).

Until now there has been no realistic explanation as to where the extra lithium would come from to make the millions of extra batteries required to hit environmental targets. For example, the EU alone would require over 50 times the current supplies of lithium by 2050 for it's climate ambitions. Worldwide, the amount of Lithium required by that date is many, many times greater than current known sources.

Cheaper To Produce And Still Provide More Power For Longer.

This could also be good news for developing countries. The increasing market price for lithium would be difficult for them to afford as rich countries snap it up. If there is access to seawater, any country could potentially manufacture their own batteries. Giving them the energy security many politicians in the west regularly talk about since the start of the Russia invasion of Ukraine.

About The Author
Jane Duncan
Chewells Contributor

Jane is passionate about the environment, she is our main contributor for the renewable industry blogs. She... »

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Replies

• Tommo (Feb 19, 2024)
  The greens turn a blind eye to the destruction caused by Lithium mining.

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