Aglobalenergyrevolutionisunfoldingbeforeoureyes:ever-growingnumbersofelectricvehiclesonourroads,laptopsthatlastalldayonasinglechargeandsolarpanelsonourroofs,allreliantonlithium-ionbatteries.Thisrevolutionishappeningatbreath-takingspeed,withthepotentialtocompletelytransformkeyindustriesandthewaywelive.Forthefirsttimeinhistory,wecannowactuallystorethisgreenenergywetalksomuchabout.Oftenreferredtoas’thenewoil’,lithiumallowslargeamountsofenergytobesqueezedintoaverysmallspace.Demandissoaring,andthelithiumbusinessisfullofdrama:bitterrivalries,shadydealsandexceptionallytalentedvisionariessuchasElonMusk,whoisbuildinglithiumbatterygiga-factoriesacrosstheworld.ThisbooktravelsfromthesaltlakesoftheTibetanplateau,whereChinesegovernment-linkedcompaniesextractlithium,toArgentina,ChileandBolivia,whichholdtheworld’sbiggestresourcesofthemineral.Itrevealssuperpowers’struggletosecurestrategicsupplies,andtheastonishingeffortsoflone-wolfinventorsandentrepreneurs.Lithiumalsoexplorestheenvironmentalimpactoflithiumextraction,thelimitstobatteryelectrification,andlithiumbatteryrecyclingasthewayforward.
