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Learn more about the latest in new battery technology and discover the next generation in battery and energy storage with expert analysis by Power Systems Research analysts.
Lawn and garden equipment manufacturers make powered lawn and garden equipment, primarily for household and business maintenance of lawns and gardens. Equipment manufactured by this industry includes lawn tractors, riding and standing mowers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, woodchippers and other machinery for maintaining lawns and gardens.
Industry Trends. Increased per household spending on lawn care and gardening services by the American family, younger individuals purchasing residential property, easing of COVID-19 restrictions and other factors like lawns adding to the aesthetic appeal of the residential property, is anticipated to bolster the DIY and commercial lawn care market.
Deutz AG signed an agreement Jan. 19, 2024, to sell its shares in Torqeedo to Yamaha Motor Co Ltd. The sale of Torqeedo’s shares were planned and announced at the Deutz Annual General Meeting held in April 2023.
Torqeedo is a market leader in developing and manufacturing advanced marine electric engines and propulsion systems.
BYD is negotiating to acquire Sigma Lithium, the largest lithium mining entity in Brazil, according to the Financial Times. The potential agreement could be valued at US$ 5 billion (R$ 14.3 billion). Sigma Lithium operates a lithium mining facility in the Jequitinhonha Valley in the state of Minas Gerais. The strategic intent behind this acquisition by the Chinese manufacturer is to secure a stable supply of raw materials essential for the production of batteries to power its electric vehicles.
BYD has expanded its presence in Brazil through the acquisition of the Ford plant in Camaçari (BA). This facility is earmarked for the production of light vehicles. Additionally, BYD operates a manufacturing plant in Campinas (SP), specializing in the production of bus chassis and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PhEV) panels.
PSR Analysis. After Tesla demonstrated interest in the same company, BYD advances its negotiations. It is in line with BYD’s strategy of verticalization and helps to solve one of the strategic bottlenecks of EV production, minerals availability and price. PSR
Fabio Ferraresi is Director Business Development South America for Power Systems Research
The Thai government has announced the discovery of a large lithium deposit, calling the deposit the third largest in the world after Bolivia and Argentina. It has estimated reserves of approximately 14.8 million tons. The deposit was found at two sites in the southern province of Phang Nga. However, it will take some time to find out how much of the discovered resources can be used.
Thailand is keen to become the center of EV production in Southeast Asia, leveraging its experience in assembling conventional cars, and the discovery of the lithium deposit will give the country a boost in achieving this goal.
Sila’s Titan Silicon anode powder consists of tiny particles of nano-structured silicon that replaces graphite in traditional lithium ion batteries. Compared to graphite, silicon stores up to 10 times more energy, so using it instead of graphite for anodes — which release electrons when a battery discharges — can significantly improve a battery’s energy density.
However, the material swells during repeated charging, with the resulting cracks radically reducing battery life. The Sila technology allows for this expansion by using nano-scale carbon “scaffolding” to keep the silicon in check.
The silicon powder has several advantages. With it, EVs could soon be able to travel up to 500 miles without stopping to charge. When the need does arise to recharge, the Sila batteries could do so in about 10 minutes.
PSR Analysis: Using silicon powder does not require new manufacturing techniques so the technology is proven and should be relatively cheap (but this wasn’t mentioned in the article) and it bypasses the virtual Chinese monopoly on purified graphite (China currently supplies 96% of the purified graphite used by the world’s battery makers). PSR
Guy Youngs, is Forecast & Adoption Leadat Power Systems Research
Battery development news continues to lead the way in the current issue of the Alternative Power Report produced by Power Systems Research. In this issue, read articles about silicon anode powder used in batteries and a new cathode material that provides cheaper and more sustainable power. This issue contains news about government regulations aimed at EVs and GM and Komatsu joining forces to produce hydrogen powered mining trucks.
A few years ago, the idea of manufacturing EV batteries in the US was fraught with hurdles, the key issue being the absence of a domestic lithium pipeline. The US had earned a reputation as the biggest producer of lithium in the world, as well as the biggest user of lithium in the world (it was even used in the drink 7Up), but this growth stopped over health concerns and the US dwindled down to just one operation by the time the EV market took off.
The lithium supply chain is still problematic to the extent that it involves digging new surface mines, but an alternative solution has been emerging in the form of geothermal brine, and the US Department of Energy is pulling out all the stops to promote it. In 2020, the US Geological Survey identified five states with major deposits: Arkansas, California, Nevada, North Carolina, and Utah.
Thanks to a variety of factors (mostly base economics), lithium-ion battery packs are at record low prices. After dropping 14%, they are down to $139/kWh vs 2022. Prices for key battery metals, especially lithium, have fallen sharply since January, due to significant growth in production capacity in all parts of the battery value chain, from raw materials and components to cells and battery packs.
The steep price drop and record low average price come on the heels of price increases in 2022 that had brought battery prices back to 2020 levels. 10 Years ago, battery packs (including cells) cost $780 per kwh. These figures represent an average across multiple battery end-uses.
CATL, the worlds largest battery manufacturer, is not waiting for customers to come knocking on its door to buy batteries for their electric models. It has created what it calls its CATL Integrated Intelligent Chassis, a skateboard design that incorporates all the bits and pieces needed to make a fully functional electric car
Today’s electric vehicles are predominantly powered by nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion batteries. However, the inclusion of cobalt in this type of batteries has been considered problematic due to its anticipated scarcity as well as the associated supply chain risks related to its single source, human rights and mining practices.
Japanese scientists have developed a high energy density, cobalt-free lithium-ion battery that yields about 60% greater energy density than conventional lithium-ion batteries for an equivalent weight and volume and sustains unprecedented 1,000 cycles.
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Consumers, Professionals Boost Lawn & Garden Spending 
