๐ Lithium-ion Batteries: A Love-Hate Relationship
Learn what is needed to make the supply chain of lithium-ion batteries healthy for the planet.
If youโre subscribed to our newsletter itโs probably not news to you that lithium-ion batteries are a cornerstone of our decarbonized future. Since their introduction to the portable electronics market in the early 90s, virtually every important quality has been improved by orders of magnitude. Critically, economies of scale (via so-called gigafactories) have allowed us to leverage the same technology for incredibly power-hungry applications like EVs and grid-scale energy storage.
For all the good they have enabled, meeting the surge in demand for lithium-ion batteries has led to problematic externalities while testing the limits of the global supply chain. Letโs explore what batteries are made of, where there is still room for improvement, and what they actually mean for the future of climate tech.
What are lithium-ion batteries?
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are made from a variety of materials, used in specific combinations to produce the characteristics desired for a given application. The science and technology (a.k.a magic) that dictates how batteries work is, unsurpringly, quite complex. Nevertheless, a basic understanding will help you make sense of the plethora of emerging technologies out there.
As depicted above, the positive and negative terminals of a battery are connected internally to two elements called the cathode and anode, respectively. These elements sit between an electrolyte, which allows lithium ions (charged lithium atoms) to pass from one end to the other depending on whether the battery is charging or discharging. Finally, the separator ensures that only lithium passes from one end to the other, preventing a short circuit.
The anode is typically made from graphite, silicon, or a blend of the two. The cathode is typically made from metal-oxides, primarily lithium-rich oxide, that can accept electrons.
All of these components have to be mined or made, processed, and combined into batteries. Some big challenges weโre going to focus on include improving mining techniques, increasing domestic extraction and manufacturing in North America and Europe, and recycling batteries so that we can reuse materials without mining or causing excess greenhouse gas emissions.
๐ก Learn more about how Li-ion batteries work , check out this article from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Long Supply Chain of Lithium-ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are a part of a long supply chain that spans the globe. Each part of the battery requires different resources and processing. From mining to to production to end-of-life, much can be done to improve the industry. Weโll go through some of the stops along the way to understand how to make a more eco-friendly and circular economy.
Letโs talk about three major challenges in the Li-ion supply chain: mining, domestic extraction and production, and recycling.
Mining
One of the main complaints about lithium-ion batteries is how the materials are obtained. The conventional ways mines extract lithium for batteries are:
From minerals: Lithium-bearing minerals (called ores) are pulled from the Earth. Lithium is extracted from those ores using heat, acid, and energy. This process releases a significant amount of CO2.
From brines: Salt water, called brines, is evaporated in evaporation ponds to isolate lithium-rich salts. This process uses more water than ore extraction and typically takes place in drought-ridden areasโhowever, it is cheaper and produces less CO2 than ore-extraction.
From clay or sedimentary rock: A newer method, sulfuric acid is used to concentrate lithium from clay or sedimentary rock (solidified sediments, like sand). This method could use billions of gallons of water, contaminate local groundwater, and cause substantial damage to the nearby ecosystems. However, this process can also reduce the cost of lithium by over two-thirds.
Luckily, new technologies have begun to pave the way towards eco-friendlier extraction practices. Some promising technologies that should improve mining practices include using membranes and sieves to separate lithium from brine, solvent extraction, or ion-exchange resins.
For example, Solvay is a global company that provides and researches many different products needed for a green economy. They have developed an ethical solvent extraction method for optimizing metal mining (like for lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other rare earths) needed for Li-ion batteries.
Location
Australia and Chile lead the world in lithium extraction, while China produces the most Li-ion batteries (aka builds them). While this is great for those countries, thatโs not helpful for places where green energy is desperately needed, like in the U.S. and Europe. Plus, wouldnโt we rather have a supply chain that doesnโt have to travel thousands of miles before reaching users?
The U.S. and Europe have to catch up if they hope to be a major player in the Li-ion battery market. The U.S. does have two promising sites for lithium mining, but lacks both the mining and production capabilities to make that a reality. However, the U.S. government is developing cool new technologies to address these issues. For example, the Department of Energy (DOE) is exploring a new way to extract lithium through steam from geothermal power plants that could make the industry more sustainable.
To read more about geothermal power plants, check out our ongoing series!
If the U.S. and Europe start utilizing the eco-friendly mining techniques discussed in the previous section, they could find themselves at the forefront of environmentally healthy extraction. Itโs always (well, usually) good to be at the forefront of eco-friendly practices!
Localizing Li-ion battery production can be helpful for reducing the fossil fuel footprint of the industry. The potential is high for any country with lithium ores, salty brines, or sedimentary rocks, which is most places. In addition, more governments involved with the regulation and development of the technology will create a more accountable and sustainable industry. The more the merrier!
A great example of a company doing the work locally is Cornish Lithium. Located in the historic mining district of Cornwall, UK, the company works to connect industry and academia to create innovative methods for mineral exploration, extraction, and development.
Recycling
A major way to create a more sustainable and competitive market for Li-ion batteries is through recycling. Currently, it is expensive to recycle Li-ion batteries, making it an undesirable market. In order to reduce cost and increase the usability of Li-ion batteries, the U.S. DOE suggests that these actions are needed to make the battery economy circular:
Design battery packs to make secondary use and recycling easier.
Establish methods for collecting, sorting, transporting, and processing spent Li-ion batteries.
Improve the recovery rates of key components, like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite.
Reintroduce recycled components back into the supply chain.
Develop methods for sorting, testing, and balancing second-use batteries.
Establish national recycling policies to promote the collection of Li-ion batteries.
Recycling materials and batteries would decrease the cost of batteries by 40%, energy use by 82%, water use by 77%, and sulfuric compound emission by 91%. Seems like a no-brainer, right?
To highlight one company working on this very problem, the American Battery Technology Company has developed a closed-loop battery recycling process that separates and recovers materials from defunct batteries. They can purify these materials to the quality needed to make future batteries. Their dream for a circular battery economy looks like this:
Why We Need Environmentally-Friendly Li-ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are an important part of mitigating climate change. They are efficient, come in many sizes, and rechargeable. They are critical to our modern lives as we know it, from cell phones to electric vehicles. They provide the power to electrify the entire transportation sector and support the energy grid. Li-ion batteries have become an important part of our day-to-day lives and will only become more important as we move away from fossil fuels.
These batteries are a vital part of creating a clean-energy economyโas long as we can get it right. The need for energy storage will only grow. We must find the best way to do so that is also kind to the planet. We only have one planet, no matter what Elon Musk says!
Do you have anything to add about Li-ion batteries? Know a new technology or way the batteries are being used? Let us know in the comments below!
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Recommended resources to learn more
๐ฐ National Blueprint for Lithium Batteries