dexterbland

Lithium Unicorns and Alternative Energy Storage

Zinc-Air is interesting but isn't rechargeable (except by replacing the electrolyte which is more like refueling). So it suffers from the same problem as hydrogen and many other alternative fuels - lack of infrastructure to support it.

Ultimately its energy density (storage capacity) is likely to fall far short of lithium's potential too (though this is dependent on laboratory advances being rolled out commercially).

On Jan 08 07:00 PM Captcoxx wrote:

> I was eagerly wanting to hear more about zinc... especially in the
> Jack Lifton interview, but I was left with nothing. How does he
> feel the future of Zinc-Air Fuel Cells and Batteries? Power Air
> Corporation it seems is poised to be a very big player. What do
> you think about a company like this? From what I have read, Zinc
> is abundant, easy to get to, and has a high power density. It is
> also recyclable and renewable. I would love to hear all of your
> thoughts on this.

Lithium Unicorns and Alternative Energy Storage

John,
at current prices the amount of lithium carbonate that would be needed for a car like the Chevy Volt (2 kg) would cost around $12. If expanding lithium demand were to raise prices by 1000% to $70/kg the material cost would still be around 2% of the total cost of the car's battery pack. Yet at this price lithium would be economic to extract from a vast number of sources starting with lower grade salt lakes, spodumene, geothermal brines, perhaps even seawater. It would also be economically feasible to recycle it.