Are lithium-ion batteries the future of energy storage?

As the world increasingly swaps fossil fuel power for emissions-free electrification, batteries are becoming a vital storage tool to facilitate the energy transition. Lithium-Ion batteries first appeared commercially in the early 1990s and are now the go-to choice to power everything from mobile phones to electric vehicles and drones.

What are the different types of energy storage technologies?

This report covers the following energy storage technologies: lithium-ion batteries, lead–acid batteries, pumped-storage hydropower, compressed-air energy storage, redox flow batteries, hydrogen, building thermal energy storage, and select long-duration energy storage technologies.

What is a lithium ion battery?

As the name of the most-common type of battery in use today implies, lithium-ion batteries are made of lithium ions but also contain other materials, such as nickel, manganese and cobalt. They work by converting electrical energy into chemical energy, which allows us to store electricity in a very dense form. Have you read?

Should lithium-based batteries be a domestic supply chain?

Establishing a domestic supply chain for lithium-based batteries requires a national commitment to both solving breakthrough scientific challenges for new materials and developing a manufacturing base that meets the demands of the growing electric vehicle (EV) and electrical grid storage markets.

Are lithium-ion batteries in short supply?

A further risk is that lithium-ion batteries rely on critical minerals that are expected to be in short supply by the end of the decade. However, that could be balanced out by the development of other storage technologies, such as sodium-ion batteries.

What should the US do about lithium-ion batteries?

The U.S. should develop a federal policy framework that supports manufacturing electrodes, cells, and packs domestically and encourages demand growth for lithium-ion batteries. Special attention will be needed to ensure access to clean-energy jobs and a more equitable and durable supply chain that works for all Americans.