VAN ALPHEN

From page A4

formed by new technology and applications. Hydrocarbons are a store of energy, and have powered the world for over a century.

However, in order to release energy from hydrocarbons, we need to burn them. This burning process causes pollution and, ironically, energy loss. Plus, it still relies on a mechanism to get that released energy to do a job.

Even in cases where we still use hydrocarbons, we can use them more efficiently and generate less pollution by using lithiumion batteries. A single hydrocarbon- fired power plant that sends electricity to households to charge multiple electric vehicles is much more efficient and generates less pollution than each of those vehicles running their own individual hydrocarbon-fired power plant. The promise of electric vehicles (EV) is the most visible aspect of the profound changes happening in the world today thanks to the energy paradigm shift being led by lithium-ion battery technology.

Battery makers worldwide are expanding their production and will continue to do so over the coming years.

For our world to reach its environmental and life-saving goals, it is important to understand the necessity of acquiring an ample supply of lithium from geopolitically stable countries. The paradigm shift is accelerating, and as lithium-ion batteries are more widely used in automobiles and power storage devices, demand is accelerating as well.

Henk Van Alphen is CEO of Wealth Minerals, Inc. in South America.