Buenos Aires outdoor power supply still uses lithium iron phosphate

Where will lithium batteries be made in Buenos Aires?

State company Y-TEC, the tech arm of YPF, will open the first lithium battery cell factory in September, in La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires province. Another plant, five times bigger, will kick off in Santiago del Estero in 2024.

How many people can a lithium battery power Buenos Aires?

The plant will generate 15 megawatts per year, which means it will produce lithium batteries capable of powering 2500 households. The batteries are envisaged for use in rural areas. For example, there is already a Buenos Aires province-backed project to supply the Paulino-Berisso island, home to 70 families who are currently off the power grid.

Will Argentina turn lithium into battery chemicals?

Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Brazil plan to coordinate action on turning more of the region’s mined lithium into battery chemicals, as well as moving into manufacturing of batteries and EVs, according to Argentina Mining Undersecretary Fernanda Ávila.

Is iron phosphate a lithium ion battery?

Image used courtesy of USDA Forest Service Iron phosphate is a black, water-insoluble chemical compound with the formula LiFePO 4. Compared with lithium-ion batteries, LFP batteries have several advantages. They are less expensive to produce, have a longer cycle life, and are more thermally stable.

Can phosphate minerals be used to refine cathode batteries?

Only about 3 percent of the total supply of phosphate minerals is currently usable for refinement to cathode battery materials. It is also beneficial to do PPA refining near the battery plant that will use the material to produce LFP cells.

Does y-TEC sell lithium in Argentina?

In the case of lithium, Y-TEC signed a contract with American company Livent, which extracts the mineral in Catamarca and, for the first time, sold part of its production in Argentina. According to Salvarezza, for industrialization to grow in scale, part of the production ought to be sold on the local market.