Debunking The "Dirty" Solar Panels And Battery Myth - CleanTechnica
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Solar panels and residential storage batteries are accused of having huge amounts of embedded carbon. The truth is quite the opposite.

Debunking The “Dirty” Solar Panels And Battery Myth::Solar panels and residential storage batteries are accused of having huge amounts of embedded carbon. The truth is quite the opposite.

  • bassomitron@lemmy.worldEnglish
    3211·
    11 months ago

    Mining/extraction of lithium is extremely destructive to the environment. This article gives a general overview of our predicament with having such a strong dependency on lithium for batteries: https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2023/01/18/the-paradox-of-lithium/

    https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/06/09/stop-calling-green-energy-clean/ goes into more depth with how much pollution mining/extracting lithium generates.

    I don’t see it discussed nearly enough that finding an alternative to lithium should be among the top priorities in research.

    • Adalast@lemmy.worldEnglish
      101·
      11 months ago

      https://youtube.com/@UndecidedMF

      This guy does a ton of videos on battery technology that is prepping for the market. One of the biggest things he mentions in every battery video is that we need to stop looking for a silver bullet and that all of the technologies have their place. Flow batteries are amazing for industrial/grid-scale storage, lithium-ion is good for small consumer electronics, and betavoltaics could be used for low-power sensors that are becoming quite prevalent. It is going to be a challenge of figuring out the right answer for a given class of situations, not one of finding the best battery.

      • Duamerthrax@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        11 months ago

        I’m surprised I never hear about Nickel–iron batteries for solar storage in pop media. Long life span, common metals, wide temperature ranges. Seems perfect for household/small industrial storage, but instead, people are strapping Musk’s lithium bombs to the sides of their garages.

        • Noerttipertti@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          1·
          11 months ago

          In small scale old truck/semi batteries are pretty good energy storage solution. Not good enough for round the year use in transportation, but quite usefull in small scale energy storage. (I have a set of 10 attached to solar panels at summer cottage. Enough to run 12V lighting, fridge, fans and tv through the (short) night).

          • Duamerthrax@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            11 months ago

            Are you talking the lead acid starter batteries? Sure, you can repurpose those for offgrid storage, but I’m talking ongrid, industrial scale.

    • psud@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      11 months ago

      The article focuses entirely on the CO2 spent, and uses a pretty high number for batteries, taking nearly a year of daily use and clean charging to offset versus gas

    • cley_faye@lemmy.worldEnglish
      3·
      11 months ago

      People are looking for alternative to lithium batteries. Unfortunately the world does not stop while we’re looking.

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.caEnglish
      22·
      11 months ago

      I don’t see it discussed nearly enough that finding an alternative to lithium should be among the top priorities in research.

      Like the Italian startup with their massive CO2 battery? It was reported a year ago.