Material Insights · Understanding the Material World

Lithium iron phosphate batteries

The lithium-ion chemistry now dominant in grid storage and many EVs: safer and long-lived.

Storage · Electrochemical · No. 68

  • Storage
  • Duration: Hours
Storage · Electrochemical · Foundation · Energy

The battery behind most new grid storage uses no cobalt or nickel, just iron and phosphate, and can outlast 10,000 cycles.

Chart: Illustration: Lithium iron phosphate batteries

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

LFP is built from lithium, graphite, iron and phosphate with no cobalt or nickel, and today's cells typically last 6,000 to over 10,000 cycles.

Three things to know
  1. LFP cells hold up to 205 Wh/kg against 265 for nickel cells, a gap that barely matters inside a grid container.
  2. China refines about 70% of lithium chemicals and over 95% of battery-grade graphite, and makes nearly all LFP cathode material.
  3. A complete US 4-hour system cost USD 334/kWh in 2024, against about USD 125/kWh for one built outside China and the US.
The journey
  1. 1 Grid powerAC electricity, often cheap midday solar
  2. 2 InverterTurns AC into DC for the cells
  3. 3 ChargingLithium ions slot into the graphite anode
  4. 4 HoldingStored for hours, mostly 2 to 4
  5. 5 DischargeIons return, DC converted back to AC
  6. 6 Evening peakStands in for gas or coal plants
Covered in Making electricity: thermal, nuclear, hydro, wind and solarEnergyStoring energy: from fuel stocks to batteriesEnergyEnergy transitions and climateEnergy
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