The demand for lithium has increased dramatically in the last few years, as car manufacturers in the US, China and Japan buy supplies preparing for a more electric future. Figures show that lithium carbonate imported to China more than doubled in the last two months of 2015, driven by companies such as BYD, which sold more electric vehicles in ten months than Tesla did since 2008. Lithium is used mainly in batteries but also in some electronic devices, including laptops, mobile phones and tablets. Utility companies are installing millions of lithium-ion battery cells into power plants to regulate electricity supply during peak demand times and when impacted by unfavourable weather. A rising lithium price has lead researchers to look at cheaper battery alternatives, meanwhile although lithium-ion batteries lack the capacity to store grid-scale power for more than a few hours, the increase in supply of lithium batteries will improve scientists' understanding of their performance.
The demand for lithium has increased dramatically in the last few years, as car manufacturers in the US, China and Japan buy supplies preparing for a more electric future. Figures show that lithium carbonate imported to China more than doubled in the last two months of 2015, driven by companies such as BYD, which sold more electric vehicles in ten months than Tesla did since 2008. Battery technology has traditionally faced challenges with cost, recharging times, and storage capacity; however producing large-scale batteries will play a crucial part in providing cleaner power on and off electricity grids. Utility companies are installing millions of lithium-ion battery cells into power plants to regulate electricity supply during peak demand times and when impacted by unfavourable weather. A rising lithium price has lead researchers to look at cheaper battery alternatives, meanwhile although lithium-ion batteries lack the capacity to store grid-scale power for more than a few hours, the increase in supply of lithium batteries will improve scientists' understanding of their performance.