Battery demand will grow four-fold by 2030 according to several sources. Battery sustainability is not optional any more, as stored electricity becomes critical for distribution grid sustainability.
The decisions we make now will shape our future electrical systems, according to Nature Sustainability. Critical factors include current battery chemistries, manufacturing methods, and impact on the environment.
Sustainability Is Not Optional But There Is Progress
Nature Sustainability confirms encouraging progress, as dependency reduces on lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Abundant, recyclable aluminum is an attractive replacement, although it still faces fundamental challenges:
- Most functional aluminum batteries use liquid electrolytes, which are costly, corrosive, and difficult to handle at scale.
- These challenges imply that aluminum batteries are still far from competitive, in terms of density and cycling stability.
There has, however, been recent progress, suggesting that aluminum batteries with suitable cathodes could change the face of energy storage. For storage is where battery sustainability is, surely, not optional.
Resource-Abundant Battery Chemistries Available
Sodium-ion chemistry could be another way to do away with apparently unsustainable lithium-ion chemistry. However, as things stand now, sodium-ion cannot compete in terms of lithium’s energy storage density.
There are several interesting possibilities in the pipeline. These include doing away with the anode, and using a less-stable electrolyte in return for a more efficient sodium-ion battery. Doing away with the anode could also mean fewer toxic compounds to recycle.
Material Abundance On Its Own Is No Guarantee
But there’s a catch as often happens with batteries. Having loads of a particular material, does not mean we necessarily have a solution. Lithium-ion batteries remain attractive to customers, because they deliver the power that customers want.
Battery sustainability is not optional in the light of the huge numbers we will need by 2030. This is because we could start running out of materials unless we develop sustainable recycling methods. This is a topic that will not go away. It could return to haunt us.
More Information
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