Global Demand for batteries multiplies
- Global battery prices have fallen 85% since 2010, BloombergNEF reports in its annual Lithium-Ion Battery Price Survey, and storage is forecast to grow to 14 times its current level by 2030 as millions of electric vehicles hit the roads.
- BNEF predicts demand will total 1,851 gigawatt-hours in 2030, up from the current 132.
- EV batteries are expected to account for 84% of that.
Swedish Research Multiplies the Life of Rechargeable Batteries
- Researchers at Stockholm University have developed a method to multiply the lifespan of nickel-metal hydride batteries.
- The new method also means that the batteries can easily be restored once they have begun to wear out, unlike other rechargeable batteries that must be melted down for recycling.
- The breakthrough came when the research group discovered that they could counteract the aging process almost completely by adding oxygen, which restores the lost electrode equilibrium and replaces the lost electrolyte.
Norway sees boom in electric cars, fuelled by the government
- Generous subsidies and perks offered by the government in the form of waived hefty vehicle import duties and registration and sales taxes for electric vehicle purchases have allowed Norway to achieve significantly higher than average uptake, it has been reported.
- Some 30% of all new cars sold in Norway are now electric, compared with 2% across Europe overall and 1-2% in the U.S.