Just A Reminder For Toyota: Germany Has Already Wasted Billions On Hydrogen Before "Clean Diesel."

  

  The story with Hydrogen is the never ending one. And it is the same old buddies from the Big Oil who is pushing it. They have found another needle to put you on after Oil. Just check who will be producing Hydrogen. All the same - centralised control. Infrastructure for the hydrogen filling stations will require trillions in investments and we have electric sockets everywhere. EVs are giving us the real choice for the distributed Energy Systems. You are finally moving from 3 central TV stations to the Internet in Energy. In 2014 in the whole U.S. there were … 14 stations. Paid by the same Big Oil journalists are still mourning how expensive is Tesla, just wait for the fuel cells cars, but you can wait very long for the real commercial production.
  Apparently Toyota has thrown a big hydrogen party in Europe "amid Volkswagen crisis". As much as I would loved to see Hydrogen to succeed - as these cars are using lithium batteries as well for he boost of specific power and regenerative breaking, fuel cell is basically the range extender - it maybe will never happen. Hydrogen is the future and will always be - this is a very well known joke among the insiders. I just would like to remind that German automakers have already wasted billions of dollars chasing the Hydrogen dream with high-fliers in early 2000s such as Fuel Cell, Ballard Power and Plug Power. After that they all moved to promote "Clean Diesel", which cancer hazard fumes we all are breathing today. I can understand Toyota: if they admit that they have wasted billions on Hydrogen now the plain sorry will not pan out - it will require harakiri for the good part of the management team, but is Germany ready for another embarrassment? Than again I can be wrong, but I am in a good company.

Tony Seba: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles or Electric Vehicles?

Now you can follow in more depth Elon Musk statement about the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells.

Elon Musk On Why "Hydrogen Fuel Cell Is Dumb."

  This is one more great opportunity to listen to Elon Musk. He is covering Tesla Patents, Competition, GM Bolt, Gigafactory and batteries, Tesla Model III and X, Superchargers and sales in China. Please listen to his thoughts on the touchy subject of Hydrogen fuel cells. "We do not have even to discuss it. Hydrogen Fuel Cells are extremely silly and it will become obvious in a few years time". "Electric cars are very efficient and much cheaper even with Oil price at 50 dollars." Other companies are taking his vision into account already.

Electric Cars Vs Hydrogen: There Are Just 12 Public Hydrogen Stations in the United States.

  

  I continue my research into Hydrogen and Electric Cars. Technically Hydrogen cars are electric as well, instead of only storing energy in the lithium battery you have the small energy producing plan on board called Hydrogen fuel cell. You can sense the trouble already - the full energy cycle has a very low efficiency as the chat above shows. After further research you will realise that Hydrogen cars are the same EVs with the fuel cell range extender, Lithium battery is still needed for the specific power compensation and regenerative breaking.

  Hydrogen is the future ... and will always be. Electric cars are already here and pouring onto our streets in numbers now, Hydrogen based are still just a few prototypes with total lack of infrastructure. Tesla Superchargers will allow 98% of US population to cross the country from coast to coast by 2015. We have sun and wind with other alternative energy to power all our electric cars theoretically, where the Hydrogen will come from? The reports show that the cheap natural gas is the only answer here and it means Fracking in US and UK - so much for the green part of this dream and its sustainability. Apart from huge lost of energy in the full cycle, we will stay with the same old boys from the big oil who is behind this push. No energy security, no distributed energy generation, just the same old needle provided by the same people.

  Hydrogen will be viable as the additional source of energy once its economics improves, but why distract the attention now instead of focusing on electric cars available lithium technology? This is what Elon Musk at Tesla and China are doing now. Tesla Gigafactory will bring even more reliable, cheaper lithium batteries to power EVs with Tesla Model S and X reaching 400 miles range. It will allow to build Tesla Model III - 35k electric car with 200 miles range to ignite the mass market.

Lithium Catalyst: Hydrogen Dreams And Write-down Of Two-thirds Of US Shale Oil Explodes Fracking Myth.

  

  If you have noticed, last few weeks Hydrogen powered cars were seriously pumped by some media outlets and auto-makers. Elon Musk was stealing media attention by making the headlines with his Tesla Motors Gigafactory and UK "occupation" by Tesla Model S, but now we have another very important reason for Hydrogen story revival.

"We have discussed with you my personal vision of the Market for Electric Cars and Lithium Industry developments yesterday. I might be very "responsibly conservative" for the prospects of our Lithium Battery Industry after all!  Today you get the bold vision from our Electric rEvolution leader-in-chief Elon Musk. AutoBlogGreen reports: "Tesla CEO Elon Musk Expects "Hundreds" Of Battery Gigafactories. Read more." 

  I am sceptical about Hydrogen and picture below shows the Hydrogen economics - Battery Electric Cars are much more efficient. Add here the billions of dollars needed to be invested for the infrastructure to be in place and you will get the picture who is sponsoring the effort.

  You just need to check who is behind Hydrogen infrastructure: it is the same faces - Big Oil. Who else will be able to create the necessary Hydrogen production, storage and distribution? Idea is to change one Needle with Oil to another Addiction. 

  I personally have nothing against Hydrogen, when economics will be right. For those who are afraid of the Lithium Battery fires I can only say that driving highly pressurised Hydrogen in the tank will be quite another experience. 

  Actually, in my discussions with Mercedes who is moving forward E-Cell concepts they have explained to me that their Hydrogen powered cars will have Lithium Battery on-board. Hydrogen Cell only produces Energy, it cannot store it and Regenerative Breaking is the very important source of Energy which could be only stored in the battery on-board. Another very important consideration is the so called specific power: the ability of Lithium Battery to provide very high rate of discharge which allows famous Electric Car instant torque. Hydrogen Fuel Cells are lacking such important energy dynamics. Hydrogen Fuel Cells basically will provide the Range Extension to the Battery Powered Cars.

"Mercedes-Benz reports on 3.3 M km of B-Class Fuel cell testing, looks ahead to next generation.
  Based on an optimized, more compact fuel cell system presented by Mercedes-Benz in its F 600 HYGENIUS research vehicle in 2005, the 80 kW stack module in the B-Class F-CELL is around 40% smaller, but develops 30% more power output and cuts fuel consumption by 16% compared to the A-Class stack. Stack lifetime has increased to more than 2,000 hours.  The electric motor has a continuous / peak performance of 70 kW / 100 kW (94 hp / 136 hp) and a maximum torque of 290 Nm (214 lb-ft). Range (NEDC) is 385 km (239 miles) and refueling time is about three minutes. The fuel-cell car uses a lithium-ion battery pack with an output of 35 kW and a capacity of 1.4 kWh to boost power and recover braking energy. Green Car Congress".

  Now we can look at all these events in another light. Dr Nafeez Ahmed reports in The Guardian: "Write-down of two-thirds of US shale oil explodes fracking myth":

"Industry's over-inflated reserve estimates are unravelling, and with it the 'American dream' of oil independence

Next month, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) will publish a new estimate of US shale deposits set to deal a death-blow to industry hype about a new golden era of US energy independence by fracking unconventional oil and gas.

EIA officials told the Los Angeles Times that previous estimates of recoverable oil in the Monterey shale reserves in California of about 15.4 billion barrels were vastly overstated. The revised estimate, they said, will slash this amount by 96% to a puny 600 million barrels of oil. The Guardian."

  I think that we all can appreciate much better the report by David Hughes at Post Carbon Institute "Drill, Baby, Drill" Can we talk now that fracking potentially has just only postponed The Peak Oil? Chris Nelder gave a very good interview on this subject in depth last year: "Peak Oil Isn't Dead".

     Have you checked you fuel Gas or Petrol receipts lately? If we have so much Oil from fracking why the prices are still so high? Even with the Global Economy still recovering at very tepid pace? What will happen when FED's QE will produce its miracle - "The Solid Growth"?

  Add into the picture the air pollution from all types of ICE engines, when in China major megalopolises are literally suffocating with horrible air pollution and people are sold "The Mountain Air In The Bags". 

Pollution-hit Chinese city gets packaged fresh mountain air

 "I find it particularly encouraging that this year all major automakershave announced J/V plans to produce Electric Cars in China. Chinese government has declared war on pollution and we are proud to be part of such a noble case: to keep the air clean to breath, but allow personal mobility in most densely populated urban centres in the world. We are talking here about mass market for Electric Cars. Now we have the Lithium battery technology to make it happen. International Lithium works on the security of Lithium supply for this Electric Revolution.

  Talking about Lithium demand, I have to mention the rapid growth in Alternative Energy. Solar and Wind Power will provide further increase in demand for the Secondary Storage, Lithium Battery technology advancing in this field very fast these days. Autonomous Robotics systems will be another very important customer in the future for the Lithium Industry. Read more."

 Now, maybe, we can have the better understanding why Elon Musk is so confident in his plans for Electric Cars and at International Lithium we are doing our part to change the world into a better place, where the exhaust pipe could be found only on the old pictures one day.

Joe Lowry: The 2015 Lithium Awards.

  Joe Lowry has produced another brilliant illustration on the state of the Lithium market just before the major technological shift in a few Trillion dollar industries which is happening all at once now: Communication, Transportation and Energy. You can find more about the real news from the Lithium Industry on his Twitter feed and LinkedIn page and on the links below. The whole world is going Electric and Lithium Is The Magic Metal at the very heart of this rEVolution.

  Ganfeng Lithium is strategic partner of International Lithium, holds 17.5% in our company and finances now two J/V projects with ILC in Ireland and Argentina. Stay tuned for our new developments.

Joe Lowry: China - The New Center of the Lithium Universe?

  

  "I am back from all the latest disruptions. Somebody on Twitter wrongly got my slogan: Join Disruption Or Be Disrupted and they started Censoring me on DieselGate and Volkswagen scandals. Now it is on the Capitol Hill and I loved one representative asking Volkswagen U.S. CEO during his testimony: "What are you going to read in jail". Lets courts do their job. Prosecutors have already raided Volkswagen in Germany today. For us the one thing is very important now: all cost accounted, including medical bills and damage to the planet, Electric Cars are already better and cheaper than the ones with Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). 

  Now I can get back to business and would like to share with you Joe Lowry's article on Lithium and my thoughts on China's military plan how to build Electric Cars as Strategic Industry for Post Carbon Economy and Next Industrial rEVolution. Read more."

International Lithium and Ganfeng: Argentina's Mine Industry Doubles Down on Lithium

International Lithium Corp. - A Green-Energy Metals Company.

  "I have written extensively about International Lithium and our strategic partner Ganfeng Lithium. Our J/Vs in Argentina and Ireland are financed by this giant from China and we have very important access to the technology. Basically we are building the secure supply chain for Ganfeng Lithium using their expertise in raw materials needed for production of battery grade lithium from the very beginning. Our brine bulk sample from Mariana is being tested at Ganfeng state-of-the-art R&D facilities in China and in Ireland we have identified 22 exploration targets. Now, according to our latest NR, we are waiting for the approval of the budgets for both projects to be rapidly advanced after very encouraging results were received from the last exploration stage this year.

   Today I would like to show you another side of International Lithium. We have the very strong technical team headed by our CEO Gary Schellenberg. Anthony Kovac - our COO and John Harrop - our VP of Exploration are among very few top level exploration managers and geologists in lithium sector. This Team depth has allowed International lithium to attract Ganfeng and strike two major J/V deals in all our industry. These days we are getting the first fruits of this very hard work. Coming volume shows that market is waking up and we are receiving at least some recognition of the value we have been building all these years. 

  I am talking a lot about the security of lithium supply and Tesla Lithium Hydroxide Supply Deal is another proof and was noticed by market overnight. Now venture capital is knocking on all doors chasing the upstream supply chain for electric cars and Energy rEVolution. 

  We have another great project at International Lithium: Mavis Lake Lithium And Tantalum Project which is located in mining friendly Canada in the area with excellent infrastructure and very encouraging initial exploration results with high grade Lithium and Tantalum. It will be our next strategic advance for the company. With J/Vs moving forward we are looking for the strong Strategic Partner to develop this project for the potential supply of this strategic commodity for the ongoing Next Industrial rEVolution. West will wake up one day to the fact that China has managed to control now not only over 90% of REE production, but 75% of Battery Grade Lithium Hydroxide as well. 

  Security of Supply means exactly this - Security. When the price is taking the second consideration and availability of critical materials is taking the central stage. My personal mission is to make this Security happen for the Western world for real as well, even if this part of the World still lives by HFT rules and Q by Q performance reflecting the coming bonuses. Our Asian friends are beating us all here with the state-level plans looking for The Next Fifty Years and building new strategic industries like Electric Cars in China.

  We have Elon Musk, we need more like him, but it is a very good start. Our strategic partner for Mavis Lake is waiting somewhere in between of latest Q performance reviews. If you know the one - you know whom to call. Now I do not have really to explain any more What Is Lithium For - Elon Musk has made the great job and every single Tesla Model S is the best moving ad of the things to come. All cars will be electric and it will be very soon. And by the way any new hard rock mine for Lithium will take 5-7 years to build Lithium brine operations will take 4-5 years at best. 

  Why International Lithium? You can check presentation above. Read more."

International Lithium Corp. Reports on Continuing Work in Argentina and Ireland With Ganfeng Lithium.

Mr. Kirill Klip, President, International Lithium Corp. comments, "Our projects are advancing in tandem with rising lithium prices. The lithium supply chain is being stressed even before the commissioning of the Tesla Gigafactory and other megafactories from BYD, Foxconn, Boston Power and LG Chem. Our joint ventures with Ganfeng Lithium demonstrate that cooperation between companies with varying expertise in the raw materials supply chain can work to secure a supply of strategic commodities. In this case, lithium which is necessary for the clean energy initiatives announced by the U.S. and China. These two countries alone will provide mass markets for electric cars and home energy storage units increasing the demand for lithium batteries."

IndustryWeek:

Argentina's Mine Industry Doubles Down on Lithium

Agence France-Presse

Argentina, Bolivia and Chile hold about 70% of the world's reserves of lithium, but Chile isn't granting any new concessions and Bolivia has suspended mining after residential opposition, which leaves Argentina to lead the way.

Panasonic displays a handful of its lithium-ion batteries at the 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

David Becker, Getty Images

BUENOS AIRES — We need lithium for cell phones, electric cars and just about every long-life battery gadget we use: It’s a key ingredient of the modern economy, but new mining concessions can be hard to find.

Except, that is, in Argentina, where a lithium rush is in full swing.

Argentina, Chile and Bolivia hold 70% of the world’s reserves of the soft, silvery metal. But Chile is not currently granting new concessions, and Bolivia has suspended lithium mining after opposition from local residents around the Salar de Uyuni salt flats, which hold enormous lithium deposits.

“Argentina has, in the provinces of Catamarca, Salta and Jujuy, the most fantastic quantity and quality of lithium the world can boast today,” Argentine mining secretary Jorge Mayoral said. “It’s a mineral Argentina is betting heavily on. Argentina sits on resources that may surpass 128 million tonnes of lithium carbonate, which is a vital component in manufacturing lithium batteries.”

At the foot of the Andes mountains, in the windswept region of Puna, the “salares,” or salt flats, hold vast deposits of lithium. In 2014, the world consumed 170,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent. American, Japanese and South Korean companies are already mining Argentina’s deposits.

“When we started promoting lithium in 2005, we never imagined we would have such success in attracting investment to Argentina,” Mayoral said. “All the big auto makers have been present in Argentina trying to get a foot in lithium development.”

‘Golden triangle’

Toyota, Mitsubishi and Posco have already begun production in the province of Jujuy, on the border with Chile and Bolivia — the so-called “golden triangle” of lithium. In 2013, French group Eramet also got in the game with two deposits in Salta province covering nearly 200 square miles.

“It’s a beautiful deposit. We discovered a significant level of resources — more than seven million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent,” Eramet’s Hughes-Marie Aulanier said.

Eramet has not yet entered the production phase — expected to last more than 40 years — but its geologists are busy assessing how much of the deposit is commercially viable.

Aulanier said the firm would use an innovative, “world-first” procedure to avoid harming the environment, developed by Eramet’s research department with the French Institute for Oil and New Energies (IFP Energies Nouvelles).

TNR Gold Corp ‏@TNR_Gold  Sep 30

International #Lithium Introduction Presentation by @kirillklip #airpollution #argentina http://www.slideshare.net/KirillKlip/international-lithium-introduction-presentation … via @SlideShare #Tesla #ILC

Thirty to 40 French and Argentine employees are at work on the site, with just llamas and vicunas for company in an unpopulated desert region at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet. The nearest village, Santa Rosa Grandes, is more than 35 miles away.

Eramet, which has partnered with the province’s public mining company on the project, plans to invest $260 million once the feasibility study gives the green light. It expects output of 20,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent a year through 2019. The mined lithium carbonate yields 20% lithium after processing.

By Alexandre Peyrille"