Though lithium-ion batteries are a linchpin of the clean energy transition, they're made with harmful chemicals. The good news is that many of these chemicals are replaceable.
lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles , in Douvrin, northern France, on December 2, 2024. Lithium-ion batteries are a linchpin of the clean energy transition. They power electric vehicles and allow us to harness wind and solar power even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. They are also used widely in electronics most of us use daily, from smart phones to earbuds. Demand is anticipated to grow exponentially over the next decade.
Unfortunately, lithium-ion batteries themselves aren’t so clean. Even aside from much-discussed environmental issues with lithium and cobalt mining, these batteries are manufactured with harmful chemicals that end up in our environment, homes, and bodies., nicknamed “forever chemicals” due to their extreme persistence in the environment.
Despite this, PFAS are used in the batteries as electrolytes and in battery components as binders or separators. And PFAS can leach from batteries during manufacturing, use, and disposal or recycling. Indeed, recentled by scientists at Texas Tech University and Duke University confirms that the use of PFAS in lithium-ion batteries is leading to significant air and water pollution.in the plastic enclosures around batteries.
The good news is that many of these chemical uses are replaceable. For example, Nanoramic and Dragonfly Energy are companies that have found ways around using PFAS to make cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. More effective and less harmful ways to make batteries fire-safe include better battery manufacturing practices, improved battery management systems, and transitioning to solid state batteries.
As we embrace the technologies that can lead us out of the fossil fuel era, we must also ensure that our path forward does not leave a trail of toxicity in its wake. The clean energy revolution should not exchange one form of environmental harm for another.Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.
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