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Search results for: “lithium”

  • Energy costs of lithium ion batteries?

    Energy costs of lithium ion batteries?

    This data-file estimates the energy costs of lithium ion batteries across 17 lines. Our best estimate in 2024 is that manufacturing 1 kWh of lithium ion batteries requires 175 kWh of useful energy and emits 100kg of CO2. When a lithium ion battery is used in an electric vehicle, these up-front energy and CO2 costs…

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  • Lithium ion batteries: energy density?

    Lithium ion batteries: energy density?

    Today’s lithium ion batteries have an energy density of 200-300 Wh/kg. I.e., they contain 4kg of material per kWh of energy storage. Technology gains can see lithium ion batteries’ energy densities doubling to 500Wh/kg in the 2030s, trebling to 750 Wh/kg by the 2040s, and the best possible energy densities are around 1,250 Wh/kg. This…

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  • Lithium producers: leading companies?

    Lithium producers: leading companies?

    This data-file captures c20 lithium producers, their output (in kTpa), their size and their recent progress. Eight companies effectively control 90% of global supply. 3 out of 12 earlier-stage companies underwent restructurings in 2020, illustrating risks, but also potential future supply shortages.

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  • Lithium ion battery volumes by chemistry and use?

    Lithium ion battery volumes by chemistry and use?

    The lithium ion battery market reached 900GWH in 2023, representing 7x growth in the past half-decade since 2018, and 20x growth in the past decade since 2013. Volumes treble again by 2030. This data-file breaks down global ithium ion battery volumes by chemistry and be end use. A remarkable shift to LFP is underway, and…

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  • Lithium ion battery costs: materials and manufacturing?

    Lithium ion battery costs: materials and manufacturing?

    Lithium ion battery costs range from $40-140/kWh, depending on the chemistry (LFP vs NMC), geography (China vs the West) and cost basis (cash cost, marginal cost and actual pricing). This data-file is a breakdown of lithium ion battery costs, across c15 materials and c20 manufacturing stages, so input assumptions can be stress-tested.

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  • Lithium: global demand forecasts?

    Lithium: global demand forecasts?

    This data-file estimates global demand for lithium as part of the energy transition. The market has already trebled from 23kTpa in 2010 to 65kTpa in 2020, while we see the ascent continuing to 500kTpa in 2030 and almost 2MTpa in 2050. 90% is driven by transport. Global reserves suffice to cover the demand.

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  • Lithium from brines: the economics?

    Lithium from brines: the economics?

    This data-file approximates the costs of battery-grade lithium from brines, via traditional salars the emerging technology of direct lithium extraction. Costs are c40-60% lower than mined lithium in ($/ton of lithium carbonate equivalent). CO2 intensity is 50-80% lower (in kg/kg).

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  • Lithium mining and upgrading: the economics?

    Lithium mining and upgrading: the economics?

    This data-file quantifies the economics of producing lithium carbonate from spodumene in mined pegmatites. We estimate a price of $12,500/ton lithium carbonate price is likely needed for a 10% IRR in today’s China-heavy value chain, which emits 50kg of CO2 per kg of lithium.

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  • Lilac solutions: lithium breakthrough?

    Lilac solutions: lithium breakthrough?

    Lilac Solutions aims to commercialize a lithium ion exchange technology, which can extract lithium from dilute brine solutions, rapidly, economically and scalably. Overall Lilac’s patents look promising to us.ย  They contain some excellent, precise and intelligible details on making ion exchange materials.

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  • Lithium: reactive?

    Lithium: reactive?

    Lithium demand is likely to rise 30x in the energy transition. So this 15-page note reviews the mined lithium supply chain, finding prices will rise too, by 10-50%. The main reason is lower-grade ores. Second is energy intensity. Low-cost lithium brine producers may benefit from steeper cost curves.

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