Critical raw materials are key drivers for India's transition to clean energy and green mobility. However, over-dependency on import, fewer reserves, and lack of technologies for mining and processing of metals present grave challenges. Thus, possible technical solutions and circular economy-based models will be crucial for steering the circular use of critical raw materials. CSTEP's research focusses on the identification of critical raw materials in India, evaluation of the supply - demand mismatch, and development of approaches to maintain a sustainable supply chain.
Addressing the impending crisis of solar photovoltaic waste in India
The solar photovoltaic industry is witnessing a remarkable expansion worldwide. India is ranked fourth globally in ground-mounted photovoltaic deployment. While this is impressive, the waste resulting from such end-of-life photovoltaic panels is expected to be enormous at 4.5 million tonnes by 2050, as per our estimates. In the absence of suitable infrastructure facilities and a lack of proactive policies for recycling, waste accumulation can become an unmanageable problem.
Why is battery recycling key to achieving a net-zero economy by 2070?
India is committed to its net-zero goals by 2070, and the decarbonisation of the transport sector through vehicular electrification is a major cornerstone.
Evidently, this is expected to increase the demand for batteries in future. Among the available battery technologies, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are most suitable for electric vehicles (EVs). EVs are mainly powered by lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery chemistries.
The great lithium push
India is now the eighth-largest lithium reserve country thanks to discovery in Jammu & Kashmir. This find has the potential to alter the speed of India’s decarbonisation. It puts India in much stronger position in the global critical materials trade, makes it attractive for investments in key forward-looking sectors.
Can Solid-State Batteries Eventually Replace Lithium-ion in EVs
The ongoing transition from fossil fuel to green fuel is a giant step that every country is willing to take irrespective of its challenges—in a bid to achieve the net-zero emissions goals by 2050. Large-scale electric vehicle (EV) adoption is one of the ways of achieving these ambitious goals. However, the challenges associated with conventional lithium-ion battery (LiB) technology—a key component of EVs— threaten to slow down the adoption of EVs at a mass level.