Li-Ion Batteries Get Green Seal of Approval 69
thecarchik writes "It is not an easy task to compare the environmental effects of battery powered cars to those caused by conventionally fueled automobiles. The degree to which manufacture, usage and disposal of the batteries used to store the necessary electrical energy are detrimental to the environment is not exactly known. Now, for the first time, a team of Empa scientists have made a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) or ecobalance of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, in particular the chemically improved (i.e. more environmentally friendly) version of the ones most frequently used in electric vehicles. Researchers decided to find out for sure. They calculated the ecological footprints of electric cars fitted with Li-ion batteries, taking into account all possible relevant factors, from those associated with the production of individual parts all the way through to the scrapping of the vehicle and the disposal of the remains, including the operation of the vehicle during its lifetime."
Re:Missing factor (Score:1, Interesting)
I dont think that this is actually effectively true (running out).
Today's waste product is tomorrows fuel. It has happened repeatedly since we have been using fossil fuels. If you consider that the coal the drove the industrial revolution is effectively gone, yet we somehow come up with new coal you will realize that we are now using fuel that was once thought to be useless, and was considered a waste product. Oil will/is the same. New reserves are lower quality ( in a $ vs output sense ) that the middle eastern oil. It is harder to recover, and harder to process, or often lower quality which all nets a lower payout and higher price.
The natural price increases that are the result of more expensive recovery methods is what I think will ultimately move us to a more renewable energy. I doubt we will every truly run out of oil, but it will simply become un-economical to use and supply and demand has no control over that.
And the idea that lower damand will cause an overabundance of supply is a very short term concern. production will be cut soon after demand wanes. This is a good thing, because lower demand and somewhat lower production will force renewables to come down in price to compete. This is Darwinism applied to fuel. green can only succeed if selection in the marketplace drives it to a stronger position. this is a classic evolutionary tactic in pretty much every living or dynamic system. The best suited wins not because it has always been better, but because the less suited are not far behind.
Re:Missing factor (Score:4, Interesting)
Lithium peak (Score:3, Interesting)
When we hit the lithium peak, how will we make more Li-ion batteries?
Re:Missing factor (Score:3, Interesting)
we're probably going to exhaust our entire supply of fossil fuels anyway
Not before acidifying the ocean to the point that everything dies. The increased CO2 in the atmosphere would also destroy countless ecosystems and result in mass extinctions.
Long story short, there is way too much carbon available to burn. We will kill ourselves long before we run out. Those who think governments should piss off and just let the market determine the price of oil really don't see the problem. As long as the environmental costs of oil are ignored, the market does not work to our benefit.
What carbon taxes do is they try to associate a dollar amount to the environmental costs of oil. When this tax is applied the market actually works to our benefit. In addition, because renewable sources of energy would not be taxed, there is increased motivation to develop these sources of energy - even without government grants.
The problem is that the world powers can not agree to universally implement such a tax. And because the CO2 emissions are shared by all, an agreement is really required. Without said agreement, a country would be sabotaging it's economy by implementing such a tax.