Butthankstolithiumionbatteriesconnectedtosolarpanels, theynowenjoywhattheycallcleanandcheapenergyindependenceinBrooklynnewyork, a neighborhoodmicrogridharveststoresanddistributescleanenergythrough a networkoflithiumionbatteries.
Today, batteryresearchisanexcitingfieldrelianceoncoalballisfallingasalternativesbecomeavailableandalthoughnotyetwidespreadrecyclingcouldgrowspurredonby e wasteregulation.
A recyclingplantinSingaporecanturn 280,000 batteries a dayinto 99% purefinepowdersofcopper, nickel, lithiumandcobaltwith a 90% recoveryratejustoverthehorizon, fasterchargingsolidstatelithiumbatteriespromisedtobeevenmoreenergydensewiththousandsofchargecycles.