By Akshay Kashyap

India is a quickly building nation actively searching for techniques to minimize its dependence on imported power sources. At present, the nation is heavily reliant on coal, oil, and gas imports, accounting for practically 80% of the nation’s power desires, which can prove to be costly and difficult to obtain in the lengthy run.

The government is actively searching for option power sources to minimize India’s dependence on fossil fuels and is investing in technologies that can be powered by renewable power sources. A single of the most promising technologies driving the adjust in the space of e-mobility options is the lithium-ion battery, an sophisticated battery technologies that utilizes lithium ions as a essential element of its electrochemistry.

As per a report by the Small business as Usual (BAU) situation, the yearly Li-ion battery demand is anticipated to raise at a CAGR of 41%, reaching 142 GWh, involving 2021 and 2030. These lithium-ion batteries can give a reputable power supply for various applications, such as residence use automotive applications and industrial applications. The downside of lithium is that it is not readily obtainable in nature. And hence, import from foreign nations like China, which controls a startling 85% of the international Li-ion battery raw material capacity, is important.

Nevertheless, with the discovery of five.9 million tonnes of lithium deposits in Jammu and Kashmir, India is on a path to self-sufficiency in manufacturing its personal lithium-ion batteries domestically. If totally mined and transformed into battery-grade Lithium can help up to six TWh of cell production.

This essential discovery could be a considerable boon as it could make us definitely ‘Atmanirbhar’ although making jobs, creating income, and furthering its e-mobility ambitions. India’s strategy to raise EV penetration by 30% by 2030 relies heavily on lithium. For that reason, this critical obtaining by GSI will assist India get closer to its purpose of net zero emissions by 2070 and will raise the production of lithium-ion batteries.

Regular extraction vs Direct extraction

At present, regular lithium extraction occurs by way of a method recognized as leaching. This process entails soaking lithium-containing supplies in water and making use of chemical compounds to extract the lithium from the material. This process is not only costly, but it could also lead to environmental contamination.

To address these challenges, firms in mining lithium deposits are actively exploring new lithium extraction procedures, such as direct lithium extraction technologies. This technologies entails extracting lithium straight from the supply material without having chemical leaching.

Direct lithium extraction (DLE) technologies is a method of extracting lithium ions straight from the surface of a mineral or brine deposit. This method entails an electrolytic cell that separates the ions from the ore or brine, permitting them to be collected and applied in solutions. It utilizes a mixture of selective leaching, solvent extraction, and ion exchange to selectively extract lithium from minerals with an typical recovery price of more than 98%. It is a a lot more price-efficient and environmentally friendly option to regular procedures.

The method also produces a substantially cleaner finish solution. For that reason, it can be a important portion of India’s work to minimize its import dependency by extracting and manufacturing its personal lithium cells leaving a minimal carbon footprint. It is a price-efficient and environmentally friendly way to extract lithium, and it can assist India come to be a lot more power independent. In addition, the technologies can assist India’s economy by giving a supply of domestically developed lithium, which can energy the expanding demand for power.

Challenges of implementing DLE technologies

DLE has been deployed on incredibly couple of projects about the globe. And scaling up DLE methods from lab to production is a challenge. Creating the important infrastructure for direct lithium technologies is a challenge for India, as it demands considerable investment in time, funds, and sources. DLE technologies demands costly supplies and sophisticated gear, producing it difficult to realize price-effectiveness. The lack of standardisation and regulation for lithium-primarily based batteries may perhaps generate issues in implementing DLE technologies. In addition, obtaining and coaching skilled personnel to operate and sustain direct lithium technologies is a further challenge for the nation.

India should really invest in investigation and improvement to create and create the important elements and supplies for the DLE technologies program. The nation should really also establish partnerships with business stakeholders to facilitate the thriving deployment of DLE technologies. This contains partnering with firms that are skilled in DLE investigation and improvement, and these that are familiar with the elements and supplies that are important for the program, only then will it effectively strive towards the thriving realisation of these vast organic sources.

The author is the Managing Director at Greenfuel Power Options.

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