the California Energy Commission estimates that there's enough lithium here to meet all of the United States' projected future demand and
40% of the world's demand. That's big news for the booming electric-vehicle industry, as lithium is the common denominator across all types of EV batteries.
Traditionally, lithium extraction involves either open-pit mining or evaporation ponds, which work by pumping lithium-containing brine to the surface and waiting for the water to dry up. Both of these methods have huge land footprints, are often very
water intensive and can create a lot of
contamination and waste.
But at the Salton Sea, three companies are developing chemical processes to extract lithium in a much cleaner way, taking advantage of the Salton Sea's rich geothermal resources. Near the lake, there are already 11 operating geothermal power plants, 10 of which are owned by Berkshire Hathaway's renewable energy division, BHE Renewables.
"We are already pumping 50,000 gallons of brine per minute across all of our 10 geothermal facilities to the surface," said Alicia Knapp, president and CEO of BHE Renewables, "and we're using the steam from that brine to generate clean energy. So we're really halfway there in that we've got the lithium right here in our hands."
© Provided by CNBCBerkshire Hathaway Renewables operates 10 geothermal power plants in the Salton Sea Known Geothermal Resource Area
Two other companies, EnergySource and Controlled Thermal Resources, or CTR, are also developing joint geothermal-lithium facilities at the Salton Sea, and General Motors has already
committed to source lithium from CTR.
More fresh water needed in a Virtual Deserts paradise !