Editing Lithium (section)

=== Electrical and electronic ===
Late in the 20th century, lithium became an important component of battery electrolytes and electrodes, because of its high [[electrode potential]]. Because of its low [[atomic mass]], it has a high charge- and [[power-to-weight ratio]]. A typical [[lithium-ion battery]] can generate approximately 3 [[volt]]s per cell, compared with 2.1 volts for [[lead–acid battery|lead-acid]] and 1.5 volts for [[zinc-carbon cell|zinc-carbon]]. Lithium-ion batteries, which are rechargeable and have a high [[energy density]], differ from [[lithium metal batteries]], which are [[disposable]] ([[primary cell|primary]]) [[Battery (electricity)|batteries]] with lithium or its compounds as the [[anode]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.batteryreview.org/disposable-batteries.html |title=Disposable Batteries – Choosing between Alkaline and Lithium Disposable Batteries |publisher=Batteryreview.org |access-date=10 October 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106031920/http://www.batteryreview.org/disposable-batteries.html |archive-date=6 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.emc2.cornell.edu/content/view/battery-anodes.html |title=Battery Anodes > Batteries & Fuel Cells > Research > The Energy Materials Center at Cornell |publisher=Emc2.cornell.edu |access-date=10 October 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222234030/http://www.emc2.cornell.edu/content/view/battery-anodes.html |archive-date=22 December 2013}}</ref> Other rechargeable batteries that use lithium include the [[lithium-ion polymer battery]], [[lithium iron phosphate battery]], and the [[nanowire battery]].

Over the years opinions have been differing about potential growth. A 2008 study concluded that "realistically achievable lithium carbonate production would be sufficient for only a small fraction of future [[PHEV]] and [[electric vehicle|EV]] global market requirements", that "demand from the portable electronics sector will absorb much of the planned production increases in the next decade", and that "mass production of lithium carbonate is not environmentally sound, it will cause irreparable ecological damage to ecosystems that should be protected and that [[LiIon]] propulsion is incompatible with the notion of the 'Green Car'".<ref name="meridian" />