India will work out a policy to institutionalize research and development on the next generation of battery technologies for electric vehicles, like metal-ion, metal air, hydrogen fuel cell, etc, to replace lithium-ion batteries and reduce India’s dependence on other countries for its import within this decade, The Indian Express reports.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that an integrated approach, with all key arms of the government working in tandem, to develop the next generation technology will require a policy and work on that has started.
“.. the challenge that we currently face as a nation is the control on strategic reserves on lithium. It is hence imperative for us to look for alternative technologies, like metal-ion and metal-air, using metals such as aluminium, zinc, iron-ore etc,” a note from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said.
Gadkari said that work on these areas has been happening in silos. “We will now work in an integrated and concerted manner bringing together the best technologies. We will also focus on economic viability… We need a policy in this regard and for it we have decided to take an integrated approach,” the Road Transport and Highways Minister said after chairing a meeting with key arms of the government late Wednesday.
The government’s Principal Scientific Advisor K VijayRaghavan, NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant, Highways Secretary Giridhar Aramane, CSIR DG Shekhar Mande and others from DRDO, ISRO and IITs, besides Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways V K Singh participated in the meeting. “Most of us have come to realise that for lithium supply we are going to be dependent on one or two countries in the future. That can actually create some strategic issue with the country,” Mande told The Indian Express.
The various agencies made presentations on their projects and roadmap on battery technologies like lithium-ion, metal-ion, sodium sulphur, hydrogen, iron sulphur, polymer electrolyte membrane cell system, zinc gel, etc.
NITI Aayog said it has collaborated with four IITs including Guwahati and Delhi for research in aluminium-ion battery. Its CEO Amitabh Kant said that India should concentrate on lithium-ion alternative batteries and mining sector companies should explore opportunities abroad for acquiring assets in this regard.
