Anne de Guibert Boston December 3, 2010.pptVIP

Bruxelles 30 November 2010 Critical materials and alternative for storage batteries Anne de Guibert Boston December 3, 2010 Agenda Table of Storage Batteries Critical materials Lead-acid Nickel metal hydride batteries Li-ion batteries Other systems Comparison of battery systems : power vs energy Rare/Strategic elements for batteries Lead-acid battery Lead-acid batteries are used for SLI in conventional cars: they will remain used in micro-hybrid (stop-and-start) slightly larger batteries They also have many industrial applications: traction (forklifts, AGVs) standby (telecom networks, UPS, alarms, power plants, submarines …) Lithium situation Lithium production 2008: 27400 tons Lithium stocks in salars 11 millions tons Producers : 3 big companies + state Chinese companies How much lithium needed for Li-ion : scenario 2020 Necessary : 165 grams of equivalent metallic lithium /battery kWh 3-4 kg for 1 electric car ; low price risk Portable applications : 2 billions cells in 2008; 1800 tons of equivalent metallic lithium contained 8-10 % yearly growth : 4 500 tons en 2020 10 million electric cars : 35 000 tons of equivalent metallic lithium contained 10 000 storage systems of 1 MWh contained 1 650 tons Conclusion : realistic vs reserve, higher than yearly production of 27 000 tons No recycling presently (insufficient volume of material to recycle) Room for speculation Lithium carbonate price was multiplied by 3 in 4 years Offer is presently in excess (no shortage), but there are only 3 suppliers All resources presently in exploitation are salars in Chile Argentina, plus Chinese resource internally. Bolivia not yet exploited. SQM (Chile, N°1) controls the market Risks factors Important risk factor if fast market increase : 5-10 years needed to open a new exploitation Long term stabilization factor : recycling today, only metals are recycled (Co, Ni, Cu) contained lithium finishes in slag it could be recover