A Silicon Valley startup is claiming a new electric vehicle battery – LytCell EV lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is designed to deliver three times the gravimetric energy density of conventional lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries (claimed potentially at 900 Wh/kg). Moreover it also claims to outperform solid state batteries.
Whether this is a genuine breakthrough or just another silly-CON (Do you know the ways of San Jose? Privately held until the IPO?) remains to be validated by vehicle use on the road and ultimately adoption by major automakers. Lyten expects full production and market availability for ‘25-‘26 model year vehicles. Continue reading
Climate Change – EPA Targets Hydrofluorocarbons Again
The tip of the regulatory iceberg?
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has issued a final rule establishing what it calls “a comprehensive program to cap and phase down the production and consumption of climate-damaging hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the United States.” Hydrofluorocarbons, aka HFCs, are powerful greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, as well as foams and other applications.
A global phasedown of HFCs is expected to avoid up to 0.5 °C of global warming by 2100. This final rule will phase down the U.S. production and consumption of HFCs by 85% during the next 15 years, as mandated by the American Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Act that was enacted in December 2020 after the environmental hater “global warming is a Chinese hoax” was evicted by voters the month before from occupying the Whitehouse. Continue reading →