A good read for the weekend from proactiveincestors.co.uk ....

A good read for the weekend from proactiveincestors.co.uk . There is a regular markez price update

Other:

Cobalt LME 3m US$33,780/t vs US$33,780/t

NdPr Rare Earth Oxide (China) US$48,546/t vs US$48,005/t

Lithium carbonate 99% (China) US$5,138/t vs US$5,080/t - SQM to significantly reduce water usage at Atacama on environmental concerns

The lithium miner announced yesterday that it would immediately slash its use of both fresh water and brine at the Atacama salt flat, in a push to reduce the overall impact of its operations.

The company has announced its Sustainable Development Plan, which says that SQM will voluntary reduce its use of brine by 20% from November this year, with a goal of reducing it by 50% by 2030.

Despite the drop in water usage, the company do not believe that this brine extraction reduction will have an impact on near- or long-term lithium production.

The announcement comes two months after SQM lost a legal battle which forced the company to start its planning process again as a result of over-pumping brine from the Atacama.

Ferro Vanadium 80% FOB (China) US$30.0/kg vs US$30.0/kg

Antimony Trioxide 99.5% EU (China) US$5.2/kg vs US$5.2/kg

Tungsten APT European US$220-225/mtu vs US$220-225/mtu

Graphite flake 94% C, -100 mesh, fob China US$430/t vs US$430/t

Graphite spherical 99.95% C, 15 microns, fob China US$2,275/t vs US$2,275/t

Gallium - Multilayer solar panels to draw more energy from sunlight

Researchers have discovered that by using a precisely controlled fabrication process, they can create multi-layered solar panels which could potentially be 1.5 times more efficient than traditional silicon panels.

This research was led by Minjoo Larry Lee, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. He has said that silicon solar panels are widespread because they are affordable and can convert slightly over 20% of the sun’s light into electricity. However, they are reaching their limit.

The researchers have been layering the semiconductor material gallium arsenide phosphide onto silicon as these two materials complement each other. They both absorb light well however gallium arsenide phosphide does so whilst generating less waste heat. In comparison to this, silicon excels at converting energy from the infrared section of the solar spectrum.

Gallium arsenide phosphide and other semiconductor materials are expensive so mass production of panels composed of them is not possible at the moment.

Scientists have been working on this since 1985 when cost was also the major impediment to commercialisation.

Battery News

Hyundai recalls vehicles due to fires likely caused by battery malfunction

Hyundai will recall 25,564 Kona EVs in Korea after 13 separate incidents of battery fires in the model. The recalled vehicles are those built between Sept 2017 and March 2020.

The Kona EV is equipped with a battery pack manufactured by HL Green Power, a JV between Hyundai and LG Chem and the cells are assembled using Hyundai Mobis battery management system.

The National Forensic Service in Korea has concluded on investigation that “electrical problems in the battery pack assembly” are the likely cause of the fires.

LG Chem has refuted claims that the batteries it supplies for the Kona vehicle are the issue. It has been suggested the recall could be the end of the relationship between LG and Hyundai which has grown thin as the latter has diversified its battery supply network.

If it is found that LG Chem’s battery are found to have glitches it is anticipated Hyundai will expect LG chem to indemnify losses suffered as a result of the recall.

The Hyundai Kona is equipped with NCM 811 batteries produced by LG Chem. High nickel batteries are prone to thermal runway which increases the risk of the battery catching fire.

EV leasing surges since the introduction of tax break

EV leasing sales have increased 91% in the last 6 months since the introduction of the 0% Benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax reports Octopus Electric Vehicles.

In April 2020 the government eliminated the BIK tax for EV purchases making leasing an EV through a workplace salary tax-free. Previously a 16% tax was applied. There is a 27% tax on combustion engine vehicles when purchased through a salary sacrifice scheme.

Octopus has launched a 100% electric salary sacrifice scheme which handles the administration of the scheme on behalf of participating companies and provides ongoing after care.

Under the scheme a higher rate tax payer can lease a Tesla Model 3 Standard Range Plus for 48 months for ~£342/month including insurance, service and maintenance and tire replacement with the no up-front costs.

Combining salary sacrifice and a 0% BIK typically reduces leasing payments by 30-40% according to Octopus.

The BIK tax is set to increase to 1% in 2021 and 2% in 2022.

Carbon nanotube electrode unveiled

NAWA Technologies, a French energy storage specialist has unveiled an ultra-fast carbon electrode. The technology is based on a patented Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotube design.

The electrode has a 3D nanostructure, with high electrical and thermal conductivity.

The Company announcement suggests the technology can increase power 3x, energy storage 10x and life cycle by 5x whilst also reducing the charge time to minutes.

The vertically aligned carbon tubes results in a significant reduction in the mean free path of the ions during a charge cycle.

NAWA say the design can lead to considerable cost savings and importantly can be used with both existing and new battery chemistries. Given the build out of manufacturing facilities today is centred on lithium-ion batteries, any technological developments will need to be able to drop in to these production lines.

The technology is also flexible, the nanotubes more compatible with a variety of active materials. Referring to the electrode technology as agnostic, the Company suggest the nanotubes work equally well across a range of chemistries.

The Company is already supplying vertically aligned carbon nanotube for the ultracapacitor devices it producers. The Company expects that part of the technology in the product could hit the market by 2022.

As always it will be interesting to see if NAWA can keep to their 2022/23 timetable but a technology compatible with a variety of battery chemistries that positively impacts power, density, life cycle and charge time as NAWA suggest could be an important milestone.

UK government looking into regulating EV charge points

– eg how best to tax the electricity going into EVs and replace lost fuel tax revenues (cynical aren’t we!)

The UK government is to investigate how best to regulate the EV charge point space. The investigation will be carried out by a consultancy.

The government is looking at how best to regulate how much drivers pay for a charge and how the providers use customer data.

The Transport secretary did not mention if charge point reliability would be under scrutiny. The reliability of charge points is a key issue for prospective EV drivers.

Joint Head of the Office of Low Emissions Vehicles has said the first round of regulation will focus on making price more transparent for users.