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[Rods2]

Nickel-Cobalt are seen as the future for electric vehicles, renewable storage and backup etc. They have a similar energy density as Li-ion, have cheaper manufacturing costs, don't present a fire hazard and therefore don't need about 25% of their volume and weight taken up with charge-discharge temperature control electronics like Li-ion batteries, can be charged from 0 to 100% in 30 minutes, have no memory effect or deep discharge loss of capacity and when they do eventually wear out they can be reconditioned more cheaply just by remanufacturing the electrodes.

http://www.nickelcobaltbattery.com/

They are the next generation battery and the key to mass-market viable electric transport. Elon Musk has invested $1bn in a mass manufacturing plant for their mass production. So far, so good, the futures bright it is Nickel-Colbolt batteries.

Except for what has been termed the Cobalt-Cliff. About 150,000tons are mined and smelted every year with about 90,000tons in China and 60,000tons in the rest of the world. About 60,000tons are globally used in traditional industries which are not as cost critical as batteries and China is committed to using the majority of their Cobalt production for their own nickel-cobalt battery production. Current estimates are that by 2025 there will be a 25,000ton shortfall in cobalt production with this only getting worse as demand for nickel-cobalt batteries grows where governments are now committing to all-electric cars by 2040. The only two solutions are that unknown new global supplies of cobalt are found, which currently is not looking likely or a new different battery technology comes along in what is a very short timescale where battery development, testing and longterm reliability is not a quick development cycle.

https://notalotofpeopleknowthat.wordpress.com/2017/11/25/the-cobalt-cliff/

Finally, what is the situation with Elon Musk's $1bn battery production facility? Well, it looks like he may not have secured supplies of cobalt to make them and several investors are now getting twitchy and are threatening to sue him if he can't prove he has secured a suitable supply chain for cobalt.

[Shackeng]

Hydrogen fuel cells are the long term solution.

[Nick W]

Hydrogen fuel cells are the long term solution.

to what? They're just another inefficient means of changing energy from one form to another.we have plenty of those already. Like all of the things touted as the future  they have serious drawbacks exacerbated by a total lack of expensive infrastructure.

[ronnyd]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

[Kevin Wood]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

No, but it's better than the brown sticky stuff that oozes from most of the proponents of alternative energy, it seems!

[Lizzie Zoom]

I am sure the wit, and especially, the commercial needs of mankind will find answers for all our requires, so don't panic

[zirk]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

We'll need that Stuff and the Gas that goes with it for our future Generations, after weve screwed up the Atmosphere, contaminated the Water and there's no Wind or Tide anymore because the Moon has decided enough and goes walkabout. 

[Nick W]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

It's far too useful to just burn. We've had better ways of generating electricity for ages, but no one has come up with a better way of powering vehicles.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

It's far too useful to just burn. We've had better ways of generating electricity for ages, but no one has come up with a better way of powering vehicles.

But we will

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Probably, but unlikely in our lifetime.

[Nick W]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

It's far too useful to just burn. We've had better ways of generating electricity for ages, but no one has come up with a better way of powering vehicles.

But we will

Believing that requires more faith than I'm capable of. None of the touted 'alternatives' are much of an improvement. What's required is a totally new technology, but we can't rely on those appearing.

[ronnyd]

What happened to the technology that had an engine run on water, or was it all "dangle berries". Also was mooted that the oil companies bought all the patents etc. to save their stranglehold on the market. Anyone enlighten me please.

[Nick W]

What happened to the technology that had an engine run on water, or was it all "dangle berries". Also was mooted that the oil companies bought all the patents etc. to save their stranglehold on the market. Anyone enlighten me please.

If you insist:


it was 'dangle berries'.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Probably, but unlikely in our lifetime.

All depends on how long you (and I!!) live for.

[Lizzie Zoom]

Whats this black sticky stuff that comes out of the ground . Would that be any good?

It's far too useful to just burn. We've had better ways of generating electricity for ages, but no one has come up with a better way of powering vehicles.

But we will

Believing that requires more faith than I'm capable of. None of the touted 'alternatives' are much of an improvement. What's required is a totally new technology, but we can't rely on those appearing.

During my relatively short life I have seen mankind go from World War II aircraft to flying to the moon.  He has invented the microwave, solar panels, very fast and small computers, mobile telephones, and vehicles that drive themselves, GPS, and so much advanced medical machinery, with techniques, that was thought impossible when I was 5.  Those are just what I can think of typing quickly, but there is so much more of course that we do not even know about (top secret and all that!)

Scientific advancement is getting faster, not slower, and new technology / discoveries are being made.  The great need for an advanced fuel / energy generating and storage system I am sure will be at the top of the agenda of so many corporations, let alone countries. Economics and greed, along with the occasional war, has always driven invention. This will still be the case in this instance.