The Weekly Potential #5
This week in the energy and materials sectors: Estonia's energy park, Tesla's new batteries, CATL's ultra-fast charging cells, electricity generation efficiency, and examples of the energy future
Welcome to the 5th edition of The Weekly Potential. In this week's edition, we discuss the construction of Europe’s largest energy park in Estonia, explore Tesla's promises in new batteries, delve into CATL's breakthrough with ultra-fast charging cells, look into the efficiency of electricity generation per mined material, and provide examples of what the energy future could entail.
Let's dive in! 🔋
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Industry Developments
1. Estonia Begins Construction of Europe’s Largest Battery Park
Estonia has initiated the construction of what's destined to be the largest battery park in continental Europe, marking a significant enhancement in energy infrastructure. This project, located in Kiisa, involves the development of a 330 kV substation by Baltic Storage Platform, a joint venture comprising Evecon from Estonia, Corsica Sole from France, and Mirova. The battery park is designed with a total capacity of 200 MW and a production capacity of 400 MWh, split across two facilities. The first of these is expected to be operational by the end of 2025, with the second following in 2026.
This initiative is not just about energy storage but also plays a critical role in Estonia's plan to synchronize its electrical grid with continental Europe by 2025, moving away from reliance on the Russian grid.
2. Tesla Plans Four New Batteries Cell Designs
Tesla is planning to introduce four new battery cell designs by 2026, focusing on the 4680 cell format. The new designs aim to increase vehicle range, improve efficiency, and lower manufacturing costs through the implementation of silicon-carbon anodes and dry electrode processing. The new versions will be known as NC05, NC20, NC30, and NC50.
Tesla has been exploring dry processing since at least 2020, facing challenges with low yields in dry cathode processing. In typical fashion, CEO Elon Musk has set a deadline for the team to resolve the issues surrounding the dry cathode processing of 4680 cells by the end of 2024, or face the possibility of abandoning the project. Despite these challenges, this indicates that Tesla isn’t giving up just yet.
3. CATL Introduces a 6C Charging LFP Cell
CATL has introduced a significant advancement in battery technology with its 6C charging lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. This technology promises to charge electric vehicles at an unprecedented rate, theoretically enabling a full charge in just 10 minutes due to its 6C charging capability (i.e. charging in 1/6 of an hour). This development, which includes partnerships with major automotive players like SAIC-GM, aims to set a new standard in EV charging speeds by achieving over 200 km of range with just a 5-minute charge.
The battery will be operational starting next year on Ultium's 900 V battery architecture, according to the company. Ultium is the fundamental basis for GM's next-generation EVs, which it announced in March 2020.
Paper of the Week
The Breakthrough Institute has put out a report titled "Updated Mining Footprints and Raw Material Needs for Clean Energy" which delves into the mining footprint for the clean energy transition. They analyze various electricity generation methods by comparing the amount of electricity produced relative to the quantity of materials extracted.
They conclude that the footprint of conventional coal and gas thermal power plants per unit of electricity generated is more than 20 times and 2 times, respectively, greater than that of low-carbon nuclear power, wind power, or solar power, even when accounting for battery storage.
On the Go
DW provides an in-depth exploration of the energy transition through its well-crafted documentary, which highlights clear examples of global initiatives. The focus is on two distinct communities, one in the U.S. and one in Europe, showcasing their approaches to this critical shift.
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Correct me if this is an assumption too far @Dr. Jasmin Smajic, but the number would appear to indicate the percent of silicone in the anode?
NC05 being 5% and NC30 being 30%, for example.
I am fairly surprised we haven’t heard more from Tesla on the LFP front.