David Lentz

Lithium-Ion Batteries and Centerfolds

The safety concerns surrounding lithium batteries can be addressed by tightened manufacturing practices, and the recent development of lithium manganese dioxide batteries by Hitachi improves on that, as well as providing much faster recharge times without the hazards of exploding batteries.

No existing battery (or ultracapacitor) technology comes close to the energy density achieved with lithium batteries, so they will continue to be used anywhere that portability is an issue, from cellphones to cars. Ultracapacitors have a role alongside batteries of all types, by managing the charge/discharge cycles, acting as a buffer. As the cost of ultracapacitors comes down, they will begin to displace batteries in applications where weight is not a factor, but until they significantly improve their energy density, lithium batteries will remain the portable energy reservoir of choice.

The issues with the difficulty in recycling lithium, can be addressed (at least from an investing perspective) by investing in SQM, the largest producer of lithium.