How green is a battery-powered future?

Analysis: They can hold renewable energy, but the lithium-ion batteries that power our lives have their own issues

(denisbin (CC BY-ND 2.0))

Our lives are powered by lithium-ionbatteries. From sending emails to checking social media to driving to friend’s houses, batteries keep 21st-century life in motion.

This reliance is set to increase over the coming decades. As we move towards a coal-free future, batteries will increasingly be used in conjunction with renewable energy production.

One problem with renewable energy sources is that turbines generate electricity only if it's windy and solar panels work only when the sun shines. Batteries help us get around this problem as they can store energy and release it when demand is high.