Lithium Battery Update.
Back on January 16th, Nanomarkets.net released their very detailed update on the latest research into improvements in the anodes and cathodes of Lithium batteries. At $2,495 a copy for up to 5 readers, my Scots rational instinct kicked in, and I declined buying a copy, following the update as best I could via the mainstream media. But this is an area where great advances are expected this decade, especially 2015 onwards. Everything from fast charging, long mileage, cooler running batteries for electric vehicles, finally ushering in the age of truly competitive battery electric vehicles, to multi-megawatt grid storage solutions to soak up excess power production during off-peak hours.
From our RMB perspective, better Lithium batteries translates into better consumer electrics and a faster take up of the electric mobility age, all of which will require sources of non-Chinese REEs. Long term investors in the REE sector, should also be following Lithium for a major breakthrough this decade. They should also probably be following developments in graphene and graphite, where graphene holds out the prospect for much lighter and stronger vehicles, but that is a subject for another related blog.
press release Jan. 26, 2012, 7:00 a.m. EST
New NanoMarkets Report Projects Strong Growth for Lithium Battery Electrode Materials
---- In a newly released report, "New Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries -2012", industry analyst firm NanoMarkets projects that the need for higher performance batteries for consumer electronics, hybrid/electric vehicles and other applications will quickly create a large market for novel lithium battery electrode materials. Revenues from non-conventional electrode materials are expected to reach around $1.3 billion by 2017, representing an almost 25 percent share of all lithium battery electrode materials sold. At present this share is 8 percent.
Although many materials are being tried out, NanoMarkets believes that those with the most potential for cathodes are lithium manganese oxide, lithium iron phosphate, nickel manganese cobalt composite and nickel cobalt alumina composite. For anodes, the growth opportunities are to be found in lithium titanate and silicon. This report also analyzes and forecasts markets for the traditional electrode materials; lithium cobalt oxide and graphite.
From the Report:
---- Despite well-established R&D programs intended to replace graphite as the anode material of choice for lithium batteries, NanoMarkets believes that graphite will still account for more than 90 percent of the revenues from anode materials until after 2017. Alternative materials have been quite challenging to develop and are at an early stage of development. However, there is a strong incentive to pursue this goal because EVs are demanding higher energy densities.
More
New Electrode Materials for Lithium Ion Batteries - 2012
Summary
----This report explains the emerging requirements for battery performance in each of the main application sectors for lithium ion batteries and then shows how these translate into demand for novel electrode materials. It also analyzes the market strategies of major materials and battery firms active in this space. The report also provides the eight-year forecasts by application and material type.
The report may be purchased here.
