A Japanese independent administrative agency has warned consumers that products powered by lithium-ion batteries, such as portable chargers and handheld fans, are more liable to catch fire during summer. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/25/japan/lithium-ion-batteries-fire-risks-summer/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #batteries #heatwaves

President Trump has cleared the way for a race to the abyss to extract critical minerals, even though seabed mining technology remains under development and commercially unproven. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/22/world/politics/trump-minerals-deep-sea-mining/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #worldnews #politics #rareearths #mining #oceans #batteries #pollution #sustainability #us #donaldtrump

I'm not sure if it's ever been said but just to be sure:

This graph is why using a battery between 20% and 80% causes much less wear.

Especially below 10% and above 90% the voltage changes rapidly, until the safety kicks in to avoid total breakage. The less voltage difference, the less wear on the battery.

for the nerds: yes I'm using a specific li-ion graph as example but you'll find similar curves with most types of batteries, and less voltage change is almost always less wear.

#batteries

forbes.com/sites/kensilverstei

1GW baseload power from solar and batteries. Build should take about 2 years (solar + batteries have excellent project predictability). Cost is $6 billion but with that lead time and confidence, the loan costs will be quite low (even lower if tranches come on line sooner).

With the plummeting costs of BESS particularly I think this will be the first of many.

Panasonic said its newest battery plant in the U.S. is on track to reach full production by later this year, easing concern about the Japanese electronics maker’s commitment to supplying electric vehicle makers. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/07/15/companies/panasonic-us-battery-plant-full-output/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #companies #panasonic #batteries #tesla #kansas

Japan’s transport ministry has announced new air safety regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/03/japan/mobile-battery-airplane/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #airlines #aviation #batteries #mlit

A first-ever event was held in New Delhi on Wednesday to reinforce cooperation between Japan and India in ensuring supply chains for critical minerals and batteries that use such resources. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/07/03/japan/japan-india-minerals-supply-chain-cooperation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #indiajapanrelations #minerals #batteries #jetro

(2/2)

Sodium ion tech is a game changer. You can completely fill them and drain them without damaging them, so their practical capacity is higher than lithium ion, for the same theoretical capacity. Plus they're a fraction of the price, so you can buy much more capacity for the same price, or buy more panels with that surplus.

As a bonus, no risk of catching fire, and in theory we could make them in Aotearoa from local materials.