Metastable Materials

India is adopting clean technology fast, at an estimated 48% CAGR for electric vehicles (EVs) and stationary energy storage at 14% to be exact. At the core of clean energy storage is lithium ion batteries, the  components of which are nearly 100% imported by India. With EV penetration goals set at 30% by 2030, it is essential that India secure critical minerals and its supply chain.

The global clean energy transition has something absurd going on. Countries are spending billions to secure lithium, cobalt, nickel and copper for batteries, which are at the heart of electrification. Mining companies are pumping money into new projects every year. Governments are signing mineral agreements and launching national missions as though securing the supply of these minerals is a matter of national survival. They are right to do so; these minerals are now essential for countries.

For the last decade, battery design has always been determined by product performance and of late by supply chain. Hardly, if ever, are they designed with material recovery in mind. With global demand surging higher, the decision of battery design will be dependent on recyclability and supply resilience. The design of today will dictate how much of tomorrow’s critical metals are recoverable and at what cost. EV packs today can be something of a logistical nightmare.