Taking Green fast charge Li-ion Batteries Technologies Offer Important Long-term Environmental Benefits.
Time:2018-11-22
Views:1520
Taking Green fast charge Li-ion Batteries Technologies
Offer Important Long-term Environmental Benefits.
Growing concerns over issues such as climate change, carbon emissions,
ozone-layer depletion, peak oil, and industrial pollution have raised alarms among
consumers, business owners and policymakers worldwide. As more information
becomes available about the long-term effects of environmental degradation
caused by our industrialized society, governments and industry associations
worldwide are starting to take increasingly proactive measures to protect the future
of our planet and its inhabitants.
However, arguments surrounding how far and how fast we need to move in order
to effectively counteract mankind’s impact on the environment can digress into
complex discussions about the validity and possible biases of available data, as well
as cost-benefit considerations that are difficult to quantify. Often times, these
arguments gloss over our common obligation to serve as environmental stewards
by incorporating simple and sensible steps into our daily lives that benefit the
environment without introducing unnecessarily large costs.
The electronics industry must play a critical role in transforming our society into a
more environmentally conscious global community by incorporating common
sense solutions that reduce the e-waste stream. With more than 1.1 billion cell
phones sold worldwide each year, the potential environmental benefits of a
coordinated approach to reuse and recycling could be enormous, especially if all
consumer batteries became replaceable. There would be even further benefits if
rechargeable battery chemistries were substituted for disposable batteries
wherever possible.
Through the use of battery holders rather than soldered-in connections, the vast
majority of batteries found in consumer products could become easily replaceable,
which would not only extend the service life of consumer products, but also reduce
the e-waste stream. According to the EPA, Americans purchase nearly 3.3 billion
alkaline batteries each year – a number that could be substantially reduced if
consumer products were redesigned to operate on rechargeable batteries. And
although rechargeable batteries often carry a significantly higher initial cost
compared to alkaline cells, over the expected service life of a device, the switch to
rechargeable batteries can result in significant long-term savings. For example, a
pack of four AA rechargeable batteries may cost the consumer approximately $50
initially, but provide years of service life with up to 500 recharges. Meanwhile, it
could cost approximately $1,000 to continually replace sets of disposable AA-size
alkaline batteries over the same time period for that same device.
Lithium-ion chemistry is rapidly emerging as the prevailing choice among
rechargeable technologies. From consumer products such as cell phones, laptops,
hybrid-electric cars, and electric cars, to industrial applications such as short term
power storage devices for wind and solar power generators, lithium-ion batteries
deliver top of the line performance and are far more environmentally friendly than
nickel-cadmium rechargeable batteries.
It is time to take batteries green, but it will take the cooperation of everyone.
Designers, manufacturers, and consumers will all need to work together in order to
make the critical changes to the battery industry. The technology and logistics for
recycling and reuse are available and ready, and there is no reason we can‘t start
immediately reaping the environmental rewards. These are the simple,
cost-effective steps we need to begin taking in order to preserve our treasured
planet, and the sooner we start the better.