In-the-News Update [Issue: Environment]

Oregon State University is leading a research effort to develop a new rechargeable battery. The hope behind this new battery is to reduce the need for mining rare minerals like lithium and nickel. The process of mining these minerals has been proven to disrupt the environment and lead to a surplus of negative environmental impacts. The university was awarded $3 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to help expedite the project. This new project is projected to positively impact the ‘clean energy transition.’ This task is backed by data that explains that there is a high price to pay when mining materials such as lithium. The demand for these minerals has also begun to increase causing a potential shortage by the year 2025. The team hopes to make a shift away from fossil fuel and mineral mining demands by creating a “game changing” rechargeable battery.