Solid-State Batteries Costs Expected To Drop

News: AltPwr

2024-11-11

Alternative Power Report, November 2024

Alternative Power Report – Nov 2024Download

The November 2024 issue of the Alternative Power Report published by Power Systems Research includes articles on battery development and discussions on the declining costs of battery power for EVs. Reduced battery costs means reduced costs for EVs, too. An article discusses the outlook for clean energy in the U.S. now that Trump has regained the White House. PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

2024-10-11

Brazil Set To Start First Natural Gas Truck Corridor

BRAZIL/SOUTH AMERICA REPORT 

Eneva, a natural gas operator, plans to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) for Virtu LNG’s truck fleet, starting in January 2025. This fuel will be used for the logistics and distribution operations of Yara Brasil, a global leader in plant nutrition.

The initiative will begin in Maranhão and is expected to expand to other states. The transportation contract was signed on September 24 at the ROG-e fair, a major oil and gas event.

Read More»

2024-09-23

China Restrictions Could Cause Antimony Shortfall

ALTERNATIVE POWER REPORT
Guy Youngs
Guy Youngs

China plans to introduce restrictions on antimony exports, a move that could lead to another flashpoint with the West over control of critical minerals. Antimony is used in lead-acid batteries, as well as in solar panels and flame retardant applications. The US Department of the Interior has designated it a critical mineral. It also is essential for armor-piercing ammunition, infrared sensors and precision optics.

Analysts estimate the market was already facing a 10,000-ton shortfall before China’s restrictions. The US is critically dependent on China for antimony. It consumed 22,000 tons of antimony products in 2023. Domestic production amounted to just 4,000 tons. This mostly came from antimonial lead recovered from used lead-acid batteries

Source: Bestmag: Read The Article

PSR Analysis:  There are a lot of minerals that are now being brought into sharp focus as the US looks at its critical minerals and finds that it is more reliant on other nations than previously thought.   PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Is New Silicon EV Battery The Best Thing Ever?

A spinoff from CalTech called Sienza Energy has come up with a new silicon EV battery that does away with cobalt. The secret is a nanoscale structure that resembles a plastic badminton birdie but delivers the triple threat of cost, performance, and safety

Conventional lithium-ion batteries deploy millions of micron-sized particles in their electrodes. In contrast, the Sienza EV battery boots the scale into nano-territory with billions of structures, resulting in a surface area 100 times that of conventional batteries. In addition to more efficient heat dissipation, the expanded surface area is a key factor in the improved performance of the new batter

Source: CleanTechnica: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: As a mineral, cobalt has some dark undertones with much concern being raised about the use of child labor in its mining, and since its cost is high, any move away from cobalt is appreciated. PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Battery Made from Stone Could Transform EVs

Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have developed a super-ionic material based on potassium silicate, a compound extracted from ordinary rocks. This innovation could potentially revolutionize the way we power electric cars.

Potassium silicate, the key material in this new battery technology, is abundantly available in the earth’s crust. Potassium silicate is also resilient to air and moisture, allowing it to be easily integrated into batteries as a thin layer without the need for expensive protective measures.

Source: MSN: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: We continue to see many new innovations in battery technology which show a lot of promise. This one has the potential to be safer and cheaper, but we are far from commercialization so this innovation is a long way off. PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

Fast Charging Gets Faster in LFP Batteries

Zeekr, an electric vehicle (EV) maker within the Geely Auto group, has integrated its self-developed fast-charging battery technology, based on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) chemistry, into its latest vehicles

According to the company, the 75 kWh battery pack supports ‘5.5C ultra-fast charging,’ enabling vehicles to charge from 10% to 80% in just 10.5 minutes using 800V charging at Zeekr’s proprietary stations.

Source: PV Magazine: Read The Article

PSR Analysis: Until this, all Lithium -ion batteries using NMC cathodes were faster than LFP batteries. This reverses that and means that this ultra fast charging together with safer LFP chemistry could eventually replace standard NMC battery chemistries

Guy Youngs is Forecast & Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research

2024-09-18

Alternative Power Report, September 2024

Alternative Power Report – Sept 2024Download

Read about Greely adding fast-charging batteries to its EV autos; Volvo backtracking on its EV pledge; Volkswagen considering factory shutdowns in Germany, and a new battery made from stone, all this and more in the September 2024 issue of the Alternative Power Report published by Power Systems Research. PSR

Guy Youngs is Forecast and Technology Adoption Lead at Power Systems Research