Elliot Spagat of AP News writes on a discovery of lithium in California.
- The United States only has one operational lithium plant in the country and is lagging behind competitors in terms of production.
- Salton City, California, a former resort town, may be a key to increased domestic lithium production.
- The geothermal brine (a saline solution that is pumped through rocks) from the city’s geothermal plants is proving to be rich in lithium, attracting investors such as GM and Berkshire Hathaway.
- While the outcome remains to be seen, this discovery shows that innovation is essential to advancing clean energy technologies.
“Owners of 11 existing geothermal plants around the lake’s southern shores are retooling for lithium and possibly other brine minerals instead of building from scratch. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co. has state and federal grants for lithium demonstration projects and says it could begin construction for commercial operations in 2024.”
Read the full article here.
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