I fear that Chris Huhne’s confidence in the “miracles” of technology and scale provides false reassurance that cheap batteries will revolutionise the renewable energy market (Comment, 10 March). World lithium production would need to double to convert this year’s car production to hybrid battery/combustion engines. Supplying electric cars at the scale he envisions, let alone replacement of a national grid with energy storage at a domestic level, will remain out of reach without huge gains in battery technology, usage and materials recycling. Moreover, the geological concentration of lithium within a few countries may bring geopolitical tensions similar to those arising from fossil fuels.
Yes, we are facing disruptive changes in energy supplies; but it is reckless to pretend that adjustments to the cost of lithium battery packs for high-end cars present the path to a safer global future. These kinds of reassurances need to reflect that “miracle technologies” are the hard-won fruits of investment and talent in energy storage methods and materials.
Dr Eddie Cussen
Department of pure and applied chemistry, University of Strathclyde