Resumen de UK could recharge demand for lithium ion batteries
Italy has a budget of [Euro] 1bn ($1.3bn) for storage capacity; the UK government wants to create 2,000 MW of capacity by 2020; and California 1.3 gigawatts (GW) of this capacity. While not all these batteries will be lithium-ion (Li-ion) or lithium-polysulphide flow batteries - some will be lead acid or sodium sulphur batteries - lithium should be the most popular mineral.
It is no surprise demand for lithium is on the rise. A January report from the US Geological Survey (USGS) projected worldwide annual consumption of lithium would grow to 280,000 tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE - 1lb of lithium metal is equivalent to 5.32lb of lithium carbonate) by 2020. This would equal 54,000 tonnes of lithium, up from demand of 28,000 tonnes in 2012, according to lithium extraction specialists, TRU Group Inc.
The Leighton Buzzard project uses a lithium manganese battery, which uses lithium manganese oxide as a cathode material. Its capacity is about one-third lower than that of lithium cobalt batteries, but lithium manganese batteries allow for significant design flexibility: a longer life, higher energy capacity or higher power depending on the need of the consumer, according to Axeon, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of Li-ion batteries.
