Transitioning from fossil fuels to sustainable alternative solutions is one of the most important challenges in the fight against global warming. Basquevolt, with its solid-state lithium batteries, responds with innovative technology that accelerates the creation of a fully electric and sustainable world.
The effects of climate change, global warming, and the need to shift away from the use of fossil fuels always attracts considerable debate and discussion. Whilst it is unanimously agreed that the transition to renewable energy sources is vital in curbing pollution and protecting our world from irreversible damage, many technical issues must yet be overcome. Phasing out completely fossil fuels presents complex technical challenges and significant inertia, as humanity has, to a great extent, relied upon them for centuries as a major energy carrier.
To accelerate the fight against climate change, as well as meeting the carbon neutrality targets defined by many countries, the use of electricity from renewable sources supported by energy storage in batteries is predicted to become the dominant solution.
Award-winning Basquevolt, a European pioneer in solid-state battery technology, develops cost competitive and sustainable solutions to power electric light and commercial vehicles, trains, airplanes, stationary storage, and an extensive range of electronic devices and most importantly aim to revolutionise the way in which society interacts with energy on a daily basis.
Here, we look at the impact of lithium batteries in the quest to reduce climate change, its limitations and how Basquevolt, in rising to industry challenges faced, hope to electrify society through its breakthroughs in lithium solid state battery technology.
Lithium Batteries – a Powerful Alternative to Fossil Fuels
Lithium batteries have been used now for more than 30 years, its first commercial application was launched in 1991 by Sony and it changed forever mobile devices. As Sony said at that time “by dramatically increasing the energy density from that of conventional rechargeable batteries, Sony was able to solve issues such as the inability to use devices outdoors and the short operational life of dry cell batteries.”
During the last decades lithium batteries have been used to power every mobile product from smartphones, laptops, or even electric cars. With the society going to a higher level of electrification, applications that were until now using combustion engines will switch to batteries. With that in mind and considering the current context, it is clear that geopolitical independence has become essential. Europe needs to be able to secure not only the access to the most advanced battery technology but also to maximize the economic value and job creation locally.
Limitations to Long Term Growth
In the race to phase out fossil fuels one of the main roadblocks is the fact that today’s lithium batteries have already reached their maximum potential. To meet the requirements of a continually expanding electrification market, two main barriers need to be overcome: the high cost and the low energy density of batteries.
Basquevolt’s CEO and energy expert, Francisco Carranza, highlights the implications of failing to address these issues. Without a significant cost reduction, and an important increase in the energy density of batteries, industries like automotive, marine or aviation will struggle to cope with the demands of electrification despite regulatory framework heading in that direction. Simply put, he states that “only end consumers with high purchasing power will be able to afford sustainable products.”
In this context, “if the carbon neutrality ambitions of society are maintained, the situation will widen social inequalities, exacerbate deep structural gaps and reverse decades of social and economic progress,” states Mr Carranza, adding that “the most vulnerable in society will suffer the most as they will not have access to private mobility.”
Additionally, from an industrial development perspective the repercussions of the high costs and low energy density of batteries are significant. It will lead to many of the impacted industries seeing a drastic reduction of their market size, with downsizing of operations and a negative impact on jobs and GDP for all regions creating a vicious circle deteriorating social cohesion, warns Mr Carranza.
Basquevolt, its Pioneering Work and Revolutionary Technology
To address and solve these important issues a new battery technology is needed – one which offers a notable reduction in costs, while improving energy density and safety.
To this end, Basquevolt’s new generation of solid polymer composite and semi-solid polymer electrolytes take lithium batteries beyond the state of the art in cost, safety, and energy density. Its revolutionary technology will lead to a more than 30% cost reduction and a 50% increase in the energy available to be stored in batteries. Coupled with a highly efficient production process, Basquevolt’s batteries will need less raw materials, use less energy, and have a lower CO2 footprint per kWh in the production process.
The long-term benefits and advantages are immense. Over the next decade alone, such an improvement will lead to:
- Reaching the cost parity between internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles without any compromise in autonomy or range, thus making affordable and sustainable mobility available for all.
- New applications in rail, marine and aviation contributing to the phasing out of fossil fuels within these sectors. Hybrid aeroplanes and ships will be introduced and the reduction of diesel engines in trains will continue.
- An increase in the use of stationary energy storage to support central and decentralised renewable energy generation.
- Greater use of electricity in developing countries and remote areas.
The geopolitical and social importance of this new battery generation has led to a strong public-private partnership with shareholders like the Basque Country government or the Spanish government directly backing the company.
Thanks to the support of its private and public shareholders Basquevolt has been able to recruit a highly talented international team, united in their mission to bring their solid-state battery technology to the mass market.
This Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country, battery technology company is firmly poised to not only achieve this important industry objective, but also play a major role in contributing to the ongoing war against global warming.
Basquevolt develop sustainable, safe, and cost competitive solid-state battery technology with the best materials and cells for electric vehicles, heavy transport, renewable energy storage, and electronic devices. For further information, up to date news, career opportunities and contact details, please visit the company website at https://basquevolt.com/en