IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v18y2025i15p4102-d1716032.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring the Material Feasibility of a LiFePO 4 -Based Energy Storage System

Author

Listed:
  • Caleb Scarlett

    (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA)

  • Vivek Utgikar

    (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the availability of lithium resources required to support a global decarbonized energy system featuring electrical energy storage based on lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. A net-zero carbon grid consisting of existing nuclear and hydro capacity, with the balance being a 50/50 mix of wind and solar power generation, is assumed to satisfy projected world electrical demand in 2050, incorporating the electrification of transportation. The battery electrical storage capacity needed to support this grid is estimated and translated into the required number of nominal 10 MWh LFP storage plants similar to the ones currently in operation. The total lithium required for the global storage system is determined from the number of nominal plants and the inventory of lithium in each plant. The energy required to refine this amount of lithium is accounted for in the estimation of the total lithium requirement. Comparison of the estimated lithium requirements with known global lithium resources indicates that a global storage system consisting only of LFP plants would require only around 12.3% of currently known lithium reserves in a high-economic-growth scenario. The overall cost for a global LFP-based grid-scale energy storage system is estimated to be approximately USD 17 trillion.

Suggested Citation

  • Caleb Scarlett & Vivek Utgikar, 2025. "Exploring the Material Feasibility of a LiFePO 4 -Based Energy Storage System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:4102-:d:1716032
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/4102/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/4102/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shule Li & Jingjing Yan & Qiuming Pei & Jinghua Sha & Siyu Mou & Yong Xiao, 2019. "Addendum: Li, S., et al. Risk Identification and Evaluation of the Long-term Supply of Manganese Mines in China Based on the VW-BGR Method. Sustainability 2019, 11 , 2683," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-1, December.
    2. Omar, Noshin & Monem, Mohamed Abdel & Firouz, Yousef & Salminen, Justin & Smekens, Jelle & Hegazy, Omar & Gaulous, Hamid & Mulder, Grietus & Van den Bossche, Peter & Coosemans, Thierry & Van Mierlo, J, 2014. "Lithium iron phosphate based battery – Assessment of the aging parameters and development of cycle life model," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1575-1585.
    3. Grosjean, Camille & Miranda, Pamela Herrera & Perrin, Marion & Poggi, Philippe, 2012. "Assessment of world lithium resources and consequences of their geographic distribution on the expected development of the electric vehicle industry," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 1735-1744.
    4. Yu Miao & Patrick Hynan & Annette von Jouanne & Alexandre Yokochi, 2019. "Current Li-Ion Battery Technologies in Electric Vehicles and Opportunities for Advancements," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, March.
    5. Shule Li & Jingjing Yan & Qiuming Pei & Jinghua Sha & Siyu Mou & Yong Xiao, 2019. "Risk Identification and Evaluation of the Long-term Supply of Manganese Mines in China Based on the VW-BGR Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-23, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Desreveaux, A. & Bouscayrol, A. & Trigui, R. & Hittinger, E. & Castex, E. & Sirbu, G.M., 2023. "Accurate energy consumption for comparison of climate change impact of thermal and electric vehicles," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    2. Wang, Jiajia & Yue, Xiyan & Wang, Peifen & Yu, Tao & Du, Xiao & Hao, Xiaogang & Abudula, Abuliti & Guan, Guoqing, 2022. "Electrochemical technologies for lithium recovery from liquid resources: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    3. Berecibar, M. & Gandiaga, I. & Villarreal, I. & Omar, N. & Van Mierlo, J. & Van den Bossche, P., 2016. "Critical review of state of health estimation methods of Li-ion batteries for real applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 572-587.
    4. Anisa Surya Wijareni & Hendri Widiyandari & Agus Purwanto & Aditya Farhan Arif & Mohammad Zaki Mubarok, 2022. "Morphology and Particle Size of a Synthesized NMC 811 Cathode Precursor with Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate and Nickel Sulfate as Nickel Sources and Comparison of Their Electrochemical Performances in an," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Alexandru Ciocan & Cosmin Ungureanu & Alin Chitu & Elena Carcadea & George Darie, 2020. "Electrical Longboard for Everyday Urban Commuting," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-14, September.
    6. Onur Yuksel & Eduardo Blanco-Davis & Andrew Spiteri & David Hitchmough & Viknash Shagar & Maria Carmela Di Piazza & Marcello Pucci & Nikolaos Tsoulakos & Milad Armin & Jin Wang, 2025. "Optimising the Design of a Hybrid Fuel Cell/Battery and Waste Heat Recovery System for Retrofitting Ship Power Generation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-40, January.
    7. Ester Vasta & Tommaso Scimone & Giovanni Nobile & Otto Eberhardt & Daniele Dugo & Massimiliano Maurizio De Benedetti & Luigi Lanuzza & Giuseppe Scarcella & Luca Patanè & Paolo Arena & Mario Cacciato, 2023. "Models for Battery Health Assessment: A Comparative Evaluation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-34, January.
    8. Hache, Emmanuel & Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Simoen, Marine & Bonnet, Clément & Carcanague, Samuel, 2019. "Critical raw materials and transportation sector electrification: A detailed bottom-up analysis in world transport," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 6-25.
    9. Sun, Li & Walker, Paul & Feng, Kaiwu & Zhang, Nong, 2018. "Multi-objective component sizing for a battery-supercapacitor power supply considering the use of a power converter," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 436-446.
    10. Piotr Krawczyk & Anna Śliwińska, 2020. "Eco-Efficiency Assessment of the Application of Large-Scale Rechargeable Batteries in a Coal-Fired Power Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-16, March.
    11. Jack E. N. Swallow & Michael W. Fraser & Nis-Julian H. Kneusels & Jodie F. Charlton & Christopher G. Sole & Conor M. E. Phelan & Erik Björklund & Peter Bencok & Carlos Escudero & Virginia Pérez-Dieste, 2022. "Revealing solid electrolyte interphase formation through interface-sensitive Operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Ma, Jian & Xu, Shu & Shang, Pengchao & ding, Yu & Qin, Weili & Cheng, Yujie & Lu, Chen & Su, Yuzhuan & Chong, Jin & Jin, Haizu & Lin, Yongshou, 2020. "Cycle life test optimization for different Li-ion power battery formulations using a hybrid remaining-useful-life prediction method," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    13. González, L.G. & Cordero-Moreno, Daniel & Espinoza, J.L., 2021. "Public transportation with electric traction: Experiences and challenges in an Andean city," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    14. Richa, Kirti & Babbitt, Callie W. & Gaustad, Gabrielle & Wang, Xue, 2014. "A future perspective on lithium-ion battery waste flows from electric vehicles," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 63-76.
    15. Harika Dasari & Eric Eisenbraun, 2021. "Predicting Capacity Fade in Silicon Anode-Based Li-Ion Batteries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, March.
    16. Sewon Kim & Ju-Sik Kim & Lincoln Miara & Yan Wang & Sung-Kyun Jung & Seong Yong Park & Zhen Song & Hyungsub Kim & Michael Badding & JaeMyung Chang & Victor Roev & Gabin Yoon & Ryounghee Kim & Jung-Hwa, 2022. "High-energy and durable lithium metal batteries using garnet-type solid electrolytes with tailored lithium-metal compatibility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    17. Danijel Pavković & Mihael Cipek & Zdenko Kljaić & Tomislav Josip Mlinarić & Mario Hrgetić & Davor Zorc, 2018. "Damping Optimum-Based Design of Control Strategy Suitable for Battery/Ultracapacitor Electric Vehicles," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-26, October.
    18. Shovon Goutam & Jean-Marc Timmermans & Noshin Omar & Peter Van den Bossche & Joeri Van Mierlo, 2015. "Comparative Study of Surface Temperature Behavior of Commercial Li-Ion Pouch Cells of Different Chemistries and Capacities by Infrared Thermography," Energies, MDPI, vol. 8(8), pages 1-18, August.
    19. Fernando Moreno-Brieva & Carlos Merino, 2020. "African international trade in the global value chain of lithium batteries," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 1031-1052, August.
    20. Jiaming Zhou & Chunxiao Feng & Qingqing Su & Shangfeng Jiang & Zhixian Fan & Jiageng Ruan & Shikai Sun & Leli Hu, 2022. "The Multi-Objective Optimization of Powertrain Design and Energy Management Strategy for Fuel Cell–Battery Electric Vehicle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:15:p:4102-:d:1716032. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.