Sahit Muja CEO Albanian Minerals
Albanian Minerals CEO Sahit Muja underscored, “In the green energy revolution, nickel is poised to surpass gold in significance.”
He added that, in 2021, the global fleet exceeded 2 billion vehicles, contributing to the incremental degradation of ecosystems through global warming, rising temperatures, ocean acidification, land degradation, water shortages, fire threats, drought, weed and pest invasions, intense storm damage, and desert encroachment.
Albanian Minerals has diligently secured crucial nickel reserves and is actively pioneering new technology to mine and produce the finest eco-friendly nickel grade for the battery industry.
Recognizing the pivotal role of green energy storage, Mr. Muja emphasized, “Green Energy Storage may be the most vital technology in the world right now.”
Characterizing nickel as the “gold of the future,” he highlighted Tesla’s endeavors to develop a high-nickel cathode battery with zero cobalt content, a move aimed at achieving a 15% reduction in the cost of battery cathodes on a US dollar per kilowatt-hour basis.
Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, urgently called for increased nickel mining, stating, “Tesla will offer a substantial, long-term contract if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way.” Musk pointed out the shortage of nickel hindering the production of new products like the Tesla Semi truck.
Musk’s call for more nickel stems from its indispensable role in electric vehicle batteries. He emphasized that while lithium is widely available and not a primary concern, nickel’s scarcity poses a challenge for the extensive expansion of electric vehicles.
With plans to achieve an annual production of 20 million vehicles before 2030, Tesla acknowledges the central role of nickel in electric vehicle manufacturing.
Sahit Muja reiterated, “Utilizing nickel in car batteries offers superior energy density and storage at a lower cost, providing an extended range for vehicles, a current limitation to electric vehicle adoption.”
Beyond electric vehicles, new nickel-containing battery technology is playing a pivotal role in energy storage systems linked to renewable energy sources, facilitating efficient storage for electricity generated by wind turbines or solar panels.
Nickel’s versatility extends beyond batteries, with approximately 3,000 nickel-containing alloys in everyday use across various applications, including consumer products, industrial machinery, military equipment, transportation, aerospace, marine, and architectural structures.
Highlighting nickel’s qualities such as toughness, corrosion resistance, hygiene, and recyclability, Muja emphasized its essential role in building and infrastructure, chemical production, communications, energy supply, environmental protection, and food preparation.
In conclusion, nickel emerges as a vital component in the transition to a greener and more sustainable future, playing a central role in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and a myriad of applications critical to modern life.
