“The discovery of 2.34 billion metric tons of rare-earth elements near Wheatland, Wyo., signals the beginning of a new era in the competition for the raw materials that power the global economy. If wisely exploited, this find—estimated to be the richest in the world—will give the U.S. an unparalleled economic and geopolitical edge.”
From Wall Street Journal.
“In the United States, buildings consume approximately 70% of the country’s electricity. But a breakthrough in solar glass could offset that demand by converting the windows of every building into solar panels.”
From CNN.
“The IEA’s Global Critical Minerals Outlook highlighted that Chinese battery company CATL had developed a fast-charging ‘Shenxing’ battery ‘capable of delivering 400km of range from a ten-minute charge.’ The battery is to be rolled out in electric vehicles later this year, the IEA said.
The report was written before CATL’s latest announcement last month, that it has developed a new battery, the Shenxing Plus, capable of ranges of 600 miles between recharges.
This means cars propelled by the new Chinese batteries would need refuelling far less often than most current EVs and at a fraction of the cost.”
From Telegraph.
ABC News | Energy & Natural Resources
“Researchers say they have found a way to heat and compress hair and wool and turn it into graphite, paving the way for Australia to become a key producer of lithium batteries for storing renewable energy.”
From ABC News.
“Two years ago, sodium-ion battery pioneer Natron Energy was busy preparing its specially formulated sodium batteries for mass production. The company slipped a little past its 2023 kickoff plans, but it didn’t fall too far behind as far as mass battery production goes. It officially commenced production of its rapid-charging, long-life lithium-free sodium batteries this week, bringing to market an intriguing new alternative in the energy storage game.
Not only is sodium somewhere between 500 to 1,000 times more abundant than lithium on the planet we call Earth, sourcing it doesn’t necessitate the same type of earth-scarring extraction. Even moving beyond the sodium vs lithium surname comparison, Natron says its sodium-ion batteries are made entirely from abundantly available commodity materials that also include aluminum, iron and manganese.”
From New Atlas.
