Fake news abounds when honest people tell undeniable truths that do not suit other people’s agendas. Nowhere can this be truer than in the instance of coronavirus vaccination and climate change. We devote this short series to extending the life of critical battery minerals, to prove we really can power the world from the wind and the sun.
A Spate of Articles Claim There Are Insufficient Minerals
Nuclear, coal, and gas power stations produce steady streams of energy for extended periods. Whereas the energy in the wind and sun is intermittent, and so we need batteries to smooth delivery on line.
Spreaders of fake news claim extending the life of critical battery minerals indefinitely is impossible, because of limited supply. Were this to be true, then the argument for renewable energy would fall away. However, this is demonstrably not the case, as we discuss in this short series of articles.
Strategies for Extending the Life of Critical Battery Minerals
Prices rise when commodity supply falls. This is a reality as old as economics. But it is equally true humankind’s ingenuity finds ways to consume commodities more efficiently. This reduces demand and forces prices back down again.
But that’s not the end of humankind’s ingenuity. Inventive genius also discovers, and develops alternative commodities when current consumer choices have unacceptable consequences. Renewable energy is a sublime example of this inventiveness.
There are several ways to extend the useful life of critical battery material stocks, and stretch the lifetime of technology. We should also recycle them, so they both re-enter the supply pool. Clean Technica adds developing novel battery chemistries, and more efficient electric vehicles to the mix of options.
But perhaps the biggest game changer is demanding less energy by adapting our life style. We explore these options in the next couple of battery posts. Stay with us to discover the real news.
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