208
Can Flow Batteries Finally Beat Lithium? (spectrum.ieee.org)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
80 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Amazing stuff.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

If it still relies on mined lithium, it's some pretty bad stuff. Come to find out mining isn't super great for the environment.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 6 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Much of the lithium is mined in Australia or via salt brines in Chile.

    It’s not worse environmentally than the other mined materials that go into a vehicle.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    That doesn't make it a good thing.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 17 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)

    Ok so let’s drill into it further.

    Lithium gets mined once and then enters a circular system where batteries can be recycled after 10+ years in service.

    It doesn’t exist in isolation either. While lithium is mined, its competitors (oil, coal, gas) are too with significantly higher environmental costs. They’re also not reusable.

    Zinc Bromide flow batteries look like a great idea for static energy storage but if you’re worried about mining, I have bad news.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Are lithium batteries getting recycled? Because there are millions of pounds of disposable vapes that just get fuckin yote directly into a landfill. Then they crack and leak PFAS into the ground water.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •