Talked about the battery project in Dubai

GITEX is a big technology gathering and conference visited by over 100.000 from 140 countries and 4500 exhbitors. Among other things, it was questioned how enviromentally friendly electric cars really are. 

- It was me who had to answer many of these questions related to that electric cars actually are more sustainable to the environment, and that it´s not only in Norway where we have approximately 100% renewable energy. It also apply to be in countries with considerably strain of coal energy, says Lars Petter Maltby.

He contributed to the technology gathering, being a member of the industrial focused battery recycling project for Lithium ion BATteries, more easily shortened down to BATMAN.

A wishful thought?

- Less communicated is that Norway produce more of those materials used in Litium ion batteries, and with that in mind, we can take a distinguished position in a future European battery value chain, Maltby clarificates.

Many of the sessions during the gathering were connected to electrification of the car population, and the growth of this. Maltby contributed in the session concerning e-mobility and its potentially threat to the environment. 

The following question was asked: "Are electric vehicles as the hope for the planet only a wish thinking? Some says it will do more hurt than good. To recognize all the environmental burden from el-cars demands full life cycle analyzes, considering all the aspects: from pollution caused by battery production, to buying and recycling metals, to the conditions where the vehicles are operating. 

Need to be influenced

During the gathering, it was for this reason many discussions concerning extracting Kobolt. 

- The battery manufacturers have an ethical problem if they can´t indicate the track down of extracted Kobolt. Many industrial participants can do that, but it´s probably a need for further influence from the interest organizations, consumers and from the industry itself, for ensuring that all the contributors can show the track down.  One problem is the numerous amount of battery manufactorers in China, and that a big amount are going to Chinas internal marked, which is the todays biggest in the world, Maltby underscores.

Asked by Innovation Norway 

- Innovation Norway asked if we could contribute, and specially focusing on Future Mobility caused by our activity concerning battery technology, says Maltby.

He found it very interesting getting a more international view on the electrification of the car population. 

- It´s very obvious that Norway is seen as a country leading the way as an example electrificate the car population. The dominating country is China, he says, and give reasons for that with the following main causes: 

1.) Electrification of the car population is a considerably transformation and this is Chinas ability to dominate the coming car production. 

2.) Emission problematics, specially in the big cities. 

3.) Minimize the import need of oil.