Posted on 02/07/2023 5:02:41 AM PST by FarCenter
OSAKA -- Japan's Sumitomo Electric Industries plans to build a new battery plant in North America as the U.S. accelerates its shift to sustainable energy, Nikkei has learned.
Sumitomo wants to produce large-capacity batteries called "redox flow cells" which are used to store electricity generated by wind turbines and other forms of renewable energy. The batteries are less prone to degradation than conventional lithium-ion batteries. Their battery life of up to 30 years is expected to be twice as long as that of lithium-ion batteries.
The battery market in North America is expected to expand to 1.7 trillion yen ($12.9 billion) by 2035, according to Japanese research firm Fuji Keizai Group. Sumitomo hopes that by building a local production base, it would gain first-mover advantage.
Osamu Inoue, president of the company, told Nikkei in a recent interview that the U.S. will become the world's largest battery market, with California state leading the way. He added that the company planned to expand its business by producing batteries in the U.S. and Japan.
The company is in the midst of planning such a move and it sees Texas and the city of Aguascalientes in Mexico as options for its base.
Sumitomo hopes to open the plant by 2024. The company plans to procure key materials from local companies and assemble them before it delivers the batteries to utility companies. The company wants to make the batteries in Osaka as well and expects to increase production capacity by three times, with the aim of generating 10 billion yen in sales from the business by 2025.
(Excerpt) Read more at asia.nikkei.com ...
Now those are some REALLY SMART batteries to only store wind and other renewable energy. Do they spit out electrons generated at the coal-fired plant down the road? Or do they put up barriers on the wires informing those wayward electrons "Your kind not welcome here"?
The Japanese have a way of perfecting products that are invented in the US. They’re smart(er). They’ll build the plant in Mexico with the HQ in Texas-smarter.
Can batteries be perfected? Wind power would be perfect to fill them up. It’s free. We’re on defense on this one. They’ve got the ‘global warming’ issue on their side.
Re: “The Japanese have a way of perfecting products that are invented in the US. They’re smart(er).”
The Japanese utilize small, constant improvements in their manufacturing processes. This is compared to the United States, where technological breakthroughs have been the MO. They’re not “smarter” rather, they use a different approach.
Then you can agree-they’re smarter.
Thank you, I enjoy your informative posts, time permitting.
A similar source ...
https://www.youtube.com/@Asianometry
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