The novelty presented by the Technological Institute of Energy (ITE) speaks, inevitably, of the Valencian singularity. At a time when batteries are a concept that we repeat ad nauseam after the (already proclaimed) triumph of the Sagunt battery gigafactory, ITE proposes developing sustainable silicon from rice husks and using it in the design of anodes (positive electrodes) of greater capacity for lithium batteries.
From the ITE, one of the partners of the Valencian Battery Alliance, they assure that it represents “an advance in improving energy efficiency and reducing costs derived from the process to obtain high-purity silicon”. They also believe that the success of the project is a “solid advance towards the creation of more ecological, modern, resilient and circular value chains”, add those responsible.
They point out that silicon is a “fundamental” high added value for the new generation of batteries that will give greater capacities and greater autonomy to electric vehicles, for example.
But what does it consist of? They transform the silicon that is naturally present in agricultural waste, such as rice husks, into one that has the right properties to be used in the manufacture of lithium batteries.
The process requires a lower temperature compared to the traditional methods currently used at an industrial level to synthesize this type of material for batteries, which, they point out, is an example of improving energy efficiency and at a lower cost.
In addition to rice husk, a pre-eminent crop in the Valencian geography, the ITE has detected other valid residues, such as pruning remains or waste from water treatment with a high content of this element. Among the industries that could take advantage of this new technology, ITE targets companies in the agro-forestry, waste management, photovoltaic, mining or water treatment sectors.
ITE’s research has been supported by the Generalitat Valenciana through the Ministry of Innovation, through an R&D agreement within the aid directed to technological centers of the Valencian Community.
