A major battery plant near Los Angeles will be among the largest in the world when it comes online later this year, promising to shore up California’s power grid during the peak summer season and help the state a meet ambitious climate goals. Calpine’s billion-dollar Nova Power Bank, built on the site of a failed […]
Lithium News
North America just got a new recycled Li-ion battery materials plant
Green Li-ion has launched a commercial-scale plant to process unsorted battery waste, or “black mass,” from used lithium-ion batteries. Within an existing recycling facility in Atoka, Oklahoma, the plant will produce sustainable, battery-grade cathode precursor, lithium, and anode materials – closing the EV recycling loop with the production done all in one plant. The current […]
Next-generation technology ‘unsafe’, says world’s largest battery maker
The founder of the world’s largest supplier of lithium-ion batteries, CATL, has labelled solid-state batteries as impractical and unsafe – alleging ‘showstopper’ claims ignore the real-world limits of the technology. Dr Robin Zeng – who is also the CEO of CATL – told the Financial Times the much-vaunted solid-state battery tech was unreliable, lacked durability […]
‘Non-lithium, cobalt-free’ ESS battery startup Alsym Energy tight-lipped on product chemistry
US-based startups Torus and Alysm Energy have raised a combined US$145 million to scale up their non-lithium energy storage technology businesses. Utah-headquartered Torus has raised US$67 million in new equity, conversion of outstanding notes and a loan facility in a round led by Origin Ventures with participation from Epic Ventures, Cumming Capital, the Larry H. […]
Keeping power in the cycle: Tests confirm quality of purified graphite from used lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries have become an integral part of everyday life. The number of used batteries is correspondingly high. They contain considerable amounts of important raw materials such as graphite. Recycling this mineral for reuse in new batteries with the same performance is an important goal. Researchers at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm and the Helmholtz Institute […]
After two county lithium-ion battery fires, a warning about safe handling
BRANCH COUNTY — Coldwater Fire Marshal Steve Trall believes lithium-ion batteries started two major fires in the county since Feb. 1. A charging lithium-ion portable power tool in the Elmwood Apartment maintenance room is the suspected fire source that severely damaged the 23-unit Taylor Street building. Trall suspected charging lithium-ion batteries in a Farrand Road […]
Thermal Batteries: A Clean and Sustainable Alternative to Lithium-Ion Batteries
The discussion about electric batteries has long been centred around lithium-ion batteries, which use lithium resources in their development. The large-scale rollout of these batteries relies on the development of vast mining projects to source the lithium and other metals and minerals required for their production. Due to the limitations of these types of batteries, […]
After two county lithium-ion battery fires, a warning about safe handling
BRANCH COUNTY — Coldwater Fire Marshal Steve Trall believes lithium-ion batteries started two major fires in the county since Feb. 1. A charging lithium-ion portable power tool in the Elmwood Apartment maintenance room is the suspected fire source that severely damaged the 23-unit Taylor Street building. Trall suspected charging lithium-ion batteries in a Farrand Road […]
This lithium-free battery startup just raised $78M in Series C funding
Boston-based Alsym Energy, which is developing a nonflammable rechargeable battery that’s cobalt and lithium-free, has announced a $78 million funding round. Tata Limited (a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Sons) and General Catalyst, a global venture capital firm, jointly led the funding round. Alsym Energy, which was founded in April 2015, has developed a non-flammable, […]
Ultium Cells delivers first battery cells from Tennessee factory
Spring Hill is the second battery cell factory from Ultium Cells to reach series production, following the Warren (Ohio) plant, which started production in 2022. For the GM vehicle plant in Spring Hill, where the Cadillac Lyriq is built, on-site cell production is a major improvement: the batteries are no longer transported from Ohio to […]