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Uma sibheka emuva, indlela amanani e-cobalt ne-lithium aye aguquka ngayo ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kubonisa ukuthi imakethe yama-lithium-ion battery ingashintsha kanjani. Lezi zinsimbi empeleni ziyizinsimbi zokwakha amabhethri, ngakho uma amanani azo ehla, kuthumela amagagasi okuduma kulo lonke ibhizinisi lokukhiqiza amabhethri. Izintengo ze-cobalt bezilokhu zikhona kuwo wonke umhlaba ngoba kunezici eziningi kakhulu ezisebenzayo kusukela emisebenzini yezimayini ezindaweni ezithile kuya ezindlekweni ezikhulayo zokukhiqiza. Indaba ye-lithium nayo ayisiyinhle kangako. Uyakhumbula ukuthi ukuwa okukhulu esikubonile? Amanani e-lithium awela cishe ngamaphesenti angu-86 kusukela ekuqaleni kuka-2023 kuze kube maphakathi no-2024, okwenza ngokwemvelo ukuba lawo maseli e-lithium ion abe eshibhile kakhulu ukuwakhiqiza. Kodwa nakuba amanani aphansi engase azwakale emuhle ephepheni, ngokuvamile enza kube nezinkinga kubakhiqizi abazama ukuhlela kusengaphambili.
Imipolitiki yesizwe zonke singenxa kakhulu ekuthweni kwezifiso. Imirhabindeko nezimpi zokuthengisa phakathi kwezizwe zingase kuthi kunezindlela ezinguquguqukayo zokutholakala kwezinto nokuthini kwazo. Sinawo le ndlela esebenza ngaso kakhulu emakhaya Afrika, endinile nezilithiyamu, futhi Democratic Republic of the Congo lapho ikobalti ivelwa khona. Imipolitiki engavumelani kulezi zindawo nase ngokuguqula imirhabindeko yezakameli iyaxazulula izifiso zonke izizwe ngemva kwesihlanu. Abakhululekile kwezindutye babaza ukuthi izinto ingaba kuthula kancane ngeke kakhulu, ngaphandle kwalokho baboqoba ukuthi akukho muntu abe ngiyahlonipha kakhulu. Ngezizwe okuphila kuzo izimpi nezidinga eziphakathi zokuthuthukisa izindutye zokulula, izindleko zingase zikhubeke ukuguqula. Izinkampani kudinga ukuthakatha ngokudinga kahle lapho kutholwa amadatha aqhubekayo futhi zenze amaphutha okugcina ngemva kwalokho.
Ukujonga indlela okuhamba ngayo i-nickel kuzinhlanganisela ukubonisa kukhona izinkinga eziphakeme ngoku ngokuphulwa kwezimali nekuphathwa kwalokhu kwehliselela leli metalu. I-nickel inemigqa encane yesimo kwenqubo yokwenza amagilithiyam ya-lithium-ion edlulwa ngokukhulu kwezinhlayiya zokulayisha. Lapho kwezinhlayiya kuzinhlanganisa i-nickel ngaphezulu kuzinhlayiya zabo, kungakhona amandla kuzinhawu ezincane. Kanti lapho kukhona isibonelo: izinhlanganisela zokuhlinzeka kuzimala kuzinconywa ngokuphezulu kukaqo kwezimali ezilindela ukulinda kwezindleke nekuphwehliswa kwezinhloso. Ngaphezulu kwalokhu, ukuhlisa i-nickel akuyona into encane. Lezi zinkinga zenza amandla aphindwe kuzonke izinto, kusukela kwenqamulelo kuya kuzimathila kuzonke izinhlayiya zokulinganisa lezi zinhlobo.
Nakuba kunezithiyo eziningi eziphambi kwethu, imboni iya ngokuya ibheka amabhethri acebile nge-nickel ngoba anikeza izinzuzo zangempela ngokwezobuchwepheshe. La mabhethri anikeza izimoto zikagesi ibanga elide futhi enza kangcono ngokujwayelekile. Ukubheka izinombolo kusitshela okuthile okuthakazelisayo. Isidingo se-nickel sibonakala sihlobene eduze nendlela emakethe ye-EV ekhula ngayo ngokushesha. Ezinye izilinganiso zithi singase sibone ukwanda okungamaphesenti angu-27 kwe-nickel edingekayo emabhethri kuphela ngo-2025 ngokusho kwemibiko evela ezincwadini ezinjenge-EV Magazine. Lokho okushiwo yilokhu kucacile ngempela. I-nickel ayibalulekile nje kuphela ekwenzeni amabhethri amahle, kodwa isiqala ukwakha ukuthi kwenzekani ezimakethe nokuthi konke kubiza malini.
I-Graphite is kakhulu esenza ngokubangela i-batteries e-lithium-ion njengoba yinto ebalulekileyo ekusebenzeni kwe-anode, futhi lokhu kubangelisa izindleko zokwenza leli batteries kanye nezinhawu ezokutholwa khona. Uma ubheka izinombolo evela ng behind graphite production kukhona le ndaba enqabilekile phakathi kwezindlela zokunquma kwezintandwa nezokwenziwa, futhi ngalunye ala ngezindleko ezithile. I-Graphite enquma inamakheli kakhulu kodwa izindleko zalo zilula ngokushayela kwezimali futhi kuzindlela ezithile kanye nezinto ezipolitiki ezasekhaya. I-Graphite enziwa ngokulandelana ngezici kubonisa ukutholakala kwezici ezifanele kakhulu kodwa ukunquma kwezinto kuthathwa izindleko eziphezulu kakhulu kunaleyo enquma.
Ngemfundo yokutholwe kwezimali, imirhumelo yegrafayithi iyasondela ukuba yiqhutywe ngoku, engaphansi kwalokho kuyakhanywa ngokuvamile kizwa kuhlangana nezindlela zokulayisha kwezifanekiso zasekhanda nezidinga ezinciyileyo ezisuka kubasebenzisi babathola. Lapho izifanekiso zenza ukuthanda izindlela ezahlukene noma lapho kuzozungezwa izici ezintsha, leli khathazwa kuyakhipha kudide kanye nezinga lokhokha grafayithi, okwakhipha kudide kanye nezindleko zokwenza ibathile lithiyamile. Ukuzwa konke lokhu kunceda izinkampani ukulandela kahle ukulayishwa kwabo kwebathile, ukunceda ukuthambisa izindleko, bese kuzodwa kakhulu kumandla aphelile apho izindleko zingaba yimaliphi.
Ukuphumelela kwamuva kuye kwandisa amandla amabhethri e-lithium-ion angawathwala, okusho ukusebenza kangcono futhi ngokuqinisekile kuye kwathinta lokho abantu abakukhokhelayo. Iningi lalezi zinguquko livela ezintweni ezingcono ezisetshenziswayo manje, ikakhulukazi lezo zingxube ezinamandla e-nickel esizwa ngazo kakhulu muva nje njenge-nickel-cobalt-manganese ne-nickel-cobalt-aluminium. Lezi zinto nje zenza amabhethri abe namandla ngokwengeziwe futhi ahlale isikhathi eside. Lapho amabhethri eba namandla amaningi, empeleni agcina amandla amaningi endaweni efanayo ngaphandle kokuthatha indawo eyengeziwe, ngakho konke kuhamba kahle. Futhi qagela ukuthi kwenzekani? Ukusebenza kahle ngokuvamile kusho izindleko eziphansi ngoba abakhiqizi bathola imali eningi lapho bekhiqiza iseli ngalinye lebhethri. Ngokwencwadi yamuva nje ye-EV Magazine, izinto zizolokhu ziba ngcono eminyakeni embalwa ezayo njengoba kuvela ubuchwepheshe obusha obungashintsha ngokuphelele indlela amabhethri asebenza ngayo kahle nokuthi abiza malini abathengi.
Ukubheka indlela umsebenzi we-batteries eziyane nevoli yaso kubonisa ukuthi kungakhelwane ngani ukuhlukaniswa kwezinye i-lithium ion batteries, okungenhlanhla kuba kudinga amandla anengi endaweni encane futhi ayakhula ngokwehlile. Kodwa ukuvulela le batteries kumisebenziso ngokubangelwa kwenza kuthwalwe ngemali. Lokhuwenza kudinga izinto eziphethwe futhi nezinyathelo ezinhlelekile zokwenza okuphakathi kwezindleko ngokukhulu. Bona bonke abakhubekile bavuma le nto ngemali, hhoname bakhombisa ukuthi kunezimali ezihlanganayo ezisemqoka ukuthatha lezindleko pansi noma ngisho. Ezinye izifundo ezambele kubonisa ukuthuthukiswa kwezinhlobo zokwenza okungaba yindlela yokuthatha izindleko zokuvulela pansi, okungeke kube yindlela yokuthi i-solid state batteries ingasebenzane nezinye izinhlobo eziphakeme kakhulu emakethe.
Indlela esebenzisa ngayo amabhethere-lithiyam yoqobo kuhlelwe kakhulu kule ndzimba, fanye nokwenza izinto ezimbili eziphambene: yenze ukuthi sikhuthaze ukuthola amakhemikhali futhi yenze ukuthi izindleko ziphansi kakhulu. Izinhlelo ezenzelwe yokusebenzisa kakhulu kumelwe amakhampani athole amakhemikhali amathathu kangcono, njenge-lithiyamu, ikobalti, ne-nikeli, okuqondile kwezwa amabhethere amasha. Ukuthola lezi zinto kumele abathengi bakhubeki amaphela ngokuncane kakhulu, okuqukethwe yinto encane kubudjeti bazo. Ngaphezulu kwalokhu, kuneqiniso lokuphephile okungcono lomhlaba ngoba asikhombiswanga ngokuncane ngokwesikhathi esilodwa. Uma sibheka izinombolo ezivumelelwe kumadatha amaningi, kubonakala ukuthi ukuthuthukiswa kwenhlelo yokusebenzisa kuhlelwe ukuthi kutholakale kakhulu kuma-batteries ezindzileyo ngama-30% kuphela ngemva kama-10 iminyaka. Konke lokhu kusiza ukuthi izindleko zezinto ezingenakuphela zibe yisimo esisodwa, ngakho amabhethere akhumbwe ngokwezifiso kumthengi.
Izinhloso zokusebenza kwezinu zilindlela ngokukhulu kulesi sigidi, okungukuthi sibona okuningi kakhulu ukuthanda izinhloso zokusebenza eziyane ne-lithium ngokubangelwa. Ijensi ye-Energy yeNingizimu yinikeza amanani aphakathi - bathi ngokuphelele 25% wezinhloso zizonke zokuthengwa ezingenakudlulwa yizwe yizoba yane nezinu ngokungukuthi 18% ngenyaka omuva. Lokhu kuthanda okuningi kwezinu kungubani obanzi kumaqondana enza izinhloso zokusebenza eziyane ne-lithium ngokuthi kuthinta konke okuvela kokuvela kwezinto ukuya kuhlanganisa izindleko zabo. Ngenkinga enkulu yokuthanda izinhloso zokusebenza, abasebenzisa izinhloso zokusebenza lithi bathope ukuthi izindleko zokwenza zizoba zilalela ukuze izindleko zingase ngokuthembekile. Uma sibheka okuthile, ukuthanda ukusebenzisa inyikele yezinhloso zokusebenza zizonke kungakhona ngama-27% ngenyaka omuva kuphela. Lokhu kuthanda okuningi kungubani obanzi leli qoqo kuzoba yini lapho kuzohlala kuzokutholwa izinhloso zokusebenza ezingaphezulu noma kungase kuthathwa izindleko.
Ukuthuthukiswa kwezinhawu zokugcina umoya ekuhlaleni noma noma kwezinhloso zokuthuthukiswa kwezimali kuyavutshwa kanje indlela okuhlela ngayo. Abantu abaningi noma noma abathanda ukunciphisa izindleko zokumisa umoya bayagcina lezi zinhloso ukuthola umcimbi olungileyo kwezimali, lokhu kubangela ukuthuthukiswa kwezokuthengisa izinhawu zelithiyamkhulu nezinye izinhloso zokugcina ekuhlaleni. Ukucubungula lezi zinhloso kudinga ukuxhumana okuhle kwezinhloso zokuthuthukiswa nezinhawu zokugcina. Izindleko zokufaka izinhloso kudinga kufanele kuthathwe isibindi ngabantu abaningi, futhi lokhu kudinga kuholela kakhulu ematheni. Izinkomba zokumisa umoya zikhombisa ukuthi ukuthuthukiswa kwezokuthengisa kuyaphakama ngokuthuthukile, nezombi zokuthi kuyobaleka ngokushesha ngokwengeziweyo. Okuthiwa yini sibona manje kuyachaza indasitri lapho ukuthuthukiswa kwezimali ezingenakuphula kuyadinga ngokukhulu, futhi noma kuthathwa izindleko zokuthengisa nezimali zokuthuthukiswa kuyobaleka ngokushesha ngokwengeziweyo.
Ukuthuthukiswa kwezilimi zokugcinwa kwe-batteries kahle kakhulu namanje, kunesiza ukulungisa phakathi kwezinsuku lapho kuhlangene nemvelo yokuphila nezinsuku lapho abantu baneeds. Kunezindzwa ezinguqula ngokukhulu kwezilimi zokugcinwa kwe-lithium-ion ebalulekile, okungaba yindlela yokunciphisa imicilo njengoba ukwanda kokunikeza kakhulu. Sicabanga ukuthi amandla wesilisa nezulu ziyathuthukiswa kakhulu njengamanye amandla wokukhiqiza umoya wethu, ngakho ke kunezimali ezinguqula ngokukhulu lezi zilimi ebalulekile emasiphezulu. Abakhululi bendaweni babalulekile bethi kunezandla ukuthola ukugcinwa okufanele kuhlelwe ukulalela amandla lapho kungasemva noma zulu alindile. Lezi zilimi ebaluleke kakhulu zingasiza ukunciphisa izindleko zokudla zezinsuku zokuthi zingasiza ezokuthuthukiswa kwezokunikeza futhi ziyakuvikela ukuthi amandla alula agcinwe ngendlela efanele bese kuthunyelwe lapho kudingeka ngendlela efanele.
Isicelo sezinga zokugcina amanzi kwekhiya lekhiyamithi kakhulu singcono ukuthenga izinhali zokuphatha lekhiya. Xa izivumelwano ziyavumela izimo ezingcono kwekhiya, izinkampani kufanele zisathe imali ngokukhulu ukuze zisebenzise izindlela ezingcono zokukhiya lekhiya, ukulungisa amanzi kahle futhi zilungise futhi zibuyise amakhawulawula emkhathini. Konke lokhu kwezindlela ezingcono kakhulu kwenza ukwehluka kwezimali eziphathwayo, kodwa kungenxa yaleyo mali ephathelene nezinhawu. Amagruphi wokugcina amanzi aqinisekisa ukuthi ukwakhiwa kwezimo ezingcono kakhulu kwenza ukuthenga izinhali ngokubangelwa kwezinye zonke. Sebenzisa izinhali zokulungisa amanzi njengomfano - ukusenza kwenza imithwana lezinye zingama-rand yetshitshimba, kodwa kakhulu kwekhawulawula kudinga lokho ukuze kuhlale kuyavumelekile. Isiqephu esiphakeme? Lokhu kwezimali eziphakeme kakhulu kwenza ukuthenga izinhali kwezimali eziphathelene nezinhawu. Kwezinkampani, ukuthola ukuvumeka kungase kudingiwe ngokweqile futhi kungenxa yaleyo mali eziphathelene nezinhawu okungenkulungisekile ukuthi kuhlale kuyavumelekile.
Izinguquko ezihlinzekileyo ngokudluliselwa kwe-Europe kuhlanga nobudinga kwezinhlanzi kubangela izinto abakhokhelwayo kwezinhlanzi. Isithombi semvume yale milawo sikhulu kakhulu ukuthola futhi usebenzise futhi kwezinhlanzi esikhundleni sokuthi wayisemvini, okwesekela umkhiqizo ongokwezifundo. Ngokuhlinzeka kwezimali, kukhona amathathakathi amaningi okuthi kudinga ukuthi kuthathwe. Kodwa le nto iphezulu yakhiwa kakhulu izinto ezintsha ngokudlulisela teknoloji engaphansi kwezimali. Noma ngiyini indawo ethile, kuthathwa ukuthi kuhlanga kwezinhlanzi ezincane kakhulu. Ngokwale tshwetsho lase-EU, ukuthola kwezinhlanzi ngokungcono kule milawo ingaba yekela ukunciphisa izindleko zezinhlanzi. Yonke le nto iyachaza ukuthi izinto zokugcina izwe kuthathwa ngokwengeza ukuthi kakhulu ngokwenza amakhampeni ukuthi kakhulu kwezinhlanzi.
Indlela aboqo balingana nayo ingcacile kakhulu ukuguqula izindleko zokwenza i-batteries ezingaphandle kweyithiyam lelithiyam, ngakumbi xa kufika kwekutholwa kwemibangela engavamile. Oku kubekwa kwezindleko neemposi kuleli nyanga kuthinta kanjani izindleko ezibhaliweyo kumakhampani ngokutholwa kwemibangela ngokuthi yithiyam lelithiyam na kobalti. Xa kuhlangana nokuthintana kweqo, ngokuthi kwezindleko eziphakamayo noma imithombo evela kumakamu, lokhu kuthinta kanjani izindleko zabatteri ngokuthi abasebenzisi bakhona ukulawulwa kwawo. Ukucwaninga kwezinye iindleko kubonisa ukuthi izinto ezifanelekileyo zokulingana kunceda abasebenzisi ukuthola imibangela engadingekayo ngokuthola izindleko eziphantsi, oku kuthinta ukuba amaphethini ayikhali. Ngelinye icala, xa kukhona ukuthintana phakathi kwezokulingana, sibona ukuthi amaphethini aphakamile kakhulu neengxaki evela kumthombo, oku kuthinta ukuba abatteri ngokuthi engavamile kakhulu futhi azikuthandi kanjani ukuthola inguquko yemali.
Izindleko zokubaleka kwe-Lithium-ion zikhona ukuba yisicaba nangoba sikhulume isisemo sokutholwa kwamagugu ngokuvumela ukuthi sikhansela kakhulu kumagugu amasha esingatholwa ngokuphela. Kakhulu, le misemo ithola amagugu amasha, ayibhola futhi athole le ndawo ephakeme ngaphakathi, kumbeka futhi kuvelisa amagugu abasha. Yini engqondweni yale? Ukuhlala kakhulu kwezidingo kumagugu okuphuma kaphandle kanye nekonomi futhi ukukhululeka kwezinhlanu. Bheka ukuthi yini okuqondile lapho kuhlangene nezinto ezitholwa nge-lithium, cobalt, nickel - zonke lezi zinto ezindle zokubaleka. Lapho abasebenzisa amagugu angathenga lezi zinto ezifanele zokutheni zingatholwe ngokuphela, azikhanyekwa ngokuphelelwa lapho izindleko zokudlulwa zilayishwa. Imicabango yakamuva ye-Circular Energy Storage Research ikhombisa iziphumo ezinhle kwezinye izinhlobo zokuhlola. Le micabango ikusho ukuthi lezi zindlela zokuthola amagugu zingakunceda ukuthi izindleko zokubaleka zikhale kahle ngokungathatha iqhaza ngokwamagugu.
Ukukhetha phakathi kwezindlela zokuphatha izinhleke kanye nezindlela zokuphatha izinhleke ngemvelo zenza uhlu olukhulu kakhulu ekhwaleni lekuphathwa kwamabhethri kanye nokuthi lokhu kuthiye yini kumakethe yonke indima. I-Hydrometallurgy esebenza ngemigqa egcwele ngamanzi ukuthola amathimba atholakala kakhulu kuzinhleke ezindala. Le ndlela kungenzeka ukuthi ikhuphe amakhosha ekusebenzeni ngesikhathi esikhulu kakhulu kutholwa kwezinto ngokulingana nezindlela zokuphatha izinhleke ngemvelo. Indlela enye, i-pyrometallurgy, kudinga ukuthi yonke into ibe yisitiki esikhulu kakhulu, okungaba yindlela ethatha kakhulu amakhosha kanye nezinga eliphezulu kakhulu. Ngokwemibandela yamathuluzi amaningi, akuyona kuphela i-Faraday Institution, le ndlela ye-hydrometallurgical iyaphila ngokuphezulu kakhulu kanye nezimali ezifanele. Njengoba iyaphila ngokuthola izinto ngaphandle kokuthatha kakhulu amakhosha, sibona amakhulu okuphansi kakhulu kwezindleko zokuphatha kwamabhethri ngokwesibonelo. Le zindleko zokukhupha kungathintela futhi izindleko ezitholwa kakhulu yamabhethri amasha emathulwini.
Ukuhlola izinketho zokuphila futhi kwezimali ezindala zokuxhaswa kwe-lithium ion kusinika indlela engqokwe ukuba kusebenze kude futhi ukunciphisa izindleko. Uma kube sebenjisile isikhathi esikhulu, lezi zimali zinezimpi eziningi ezingadinga amandla angeke athathwa ngokuphelele. Sibona kuthathelwa kusebenza ngokugcinwa kwezinhloko ezingaphandle kwezindawo zokudlala nezinkampani ephakathi kwelunhlanu. Lokhu kusinika izinketho ezintsha futhi kunciphisa ukuthi kumele kube khona izimali ezintsha ngokuphelele. Ngokwesiya sika IRENA nezinye iindlela zokuhlinzela indawo, sibona ukuthuthukwa kwamanje kulezi zinketho zokuphila futhi kwezimali uma abantu abaningi baletha amapaneli wokuxhumeka nezinye izinto zokuthola amandla. Uma kumaphe zimali esikhundleni sokuthiwa yinto ethuthile, kumele kube khona izinketho ezincane kubantu. Lokhu kunciphisa izindleko futhi kunezimali eziningi ezingapheli amandla ngokwesikhathi eside. Abakhethi abaningi bekube yesikhundla kwezimali ezintsha, baletha ukuguqula kwezimali ezindala.