Archive:000/The great battery challenge: Difference between revisions

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===Quantitative===
===Quantitative===
Scale used: Estimated energy storage that would be needed if all vehicles were electric. {{p2|See why|It's a compromise between two considerations:<br /><br />- On one hand, we're going to need ''more'' than just vehicle batteries if [[solar]] and [[wind]] are main power sources. We'd also need on-grid energy storage.<br /><br />- On the other hand, battery tech won't be one-size-fits-all: it's possible to have a ''mix'' of battery tech (each with different mineral profiles) that could ''together'' meet 100% of all potential demand (full green energy scenario), even when no ''individual'' battery tech (within the mix) could meet the 100% on its own (limited by mineral reserves). Also, there are ways to reduce the need for vehicle energy storage ([[public transit]] and [[walkability]]).}}.
Scale used: Estimated energy storage that would be needed if all vehicles were electric. {{p2|See why|It's a compromise between a few considerations:<br /><br />- On one hand, we're going to need ''more'' than just vehicle batteries if [[solar]] and [[wind]] are main power sources. We'd also need on-grid energy storage. Also, the same minerals might also be needed for ''other'' things besides energy storage.<br /><br />- On the other hand, battery tech won't be one-size-fits-all: it's possible to have a ''mix'' of battery tech (each with different mineral profiles) that could ''together'' meet 100% of all potential demand (full green energy scenario), even when no ''individual'' battery tech (within the mix) could meet the 100% on its own (limited by mineral reserves). Also, there are ways to reduce the need for vehicle energy storage ([[public transit]] and [[walkability]]).}}.


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====Minerals====
====Minerals====
For each mineral, divide its ''global reserves'' by <tt>scale</tt>. This gives you a reasonable limit (in <tt>grams per kWh</tt>).
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For each mineral, divide its ''global reserves'' by <tt>scale</tt>. This gives you a '''reasonable limit'''{{x|and if this limit seems too strict to be useful, then consider it to be a "soft limit" as it's based on mineral ''reserves''. The "hard limit" would be based on mineral ''resources''}}, in <tt>grams per kWh</tt> of battery capacity:


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This is not a ''full'' list of minerals.
Note: This is not a ''full'' list of minerals.
 
<small>If you're designing a battery, consider the limit for any minerals in the battery. It can be calculated the same way as the above examples.</small>


====Energy and labor====
====Energy and labor====
For simplicity sake{{x|and due to lack of data}}, we just have to assume (for now) that any tech that stays within ''mineral'' limits{{x|as talked about above}} won't need an outrageous amount of energy or labor to produce. Manufacturing & recycling probably doesn't vary quite as much as mining does{{x|the energy & labor of mining depends heavily on which mineral is being mined, how rare it is}}.
For simplicity sake{{x|and due to lack of data}}, we just have to assume (for now) that any tech that stays within ''mineral'' limits{{x|as talked about above}} won't need an outrageous amount of energy or labor to produce. Manufacturing & recycling probably doesn't vary quite as much as mining does{{x|the energy & labor of mining depends heavily on ''which'' mineral is being mined / how scarce it is}}.
Ultimately we do need to assess the [[EROI of energy storage]].
Ultimately we do need to assess the [[EROI of energy storage]].