The pace and variety of electrification across many aspects of our daily lives continue, driven by the convergence of multiple factors. These include increased renewable sources such as solar power from photovoltaic panels and wind power via large turbines paired with higher-density, lower-cost rechargeable batteries for storage, sophisticated battery-management systems to monitor their charging/discharging, and inverters to convert the stored energy into usable power.

We’re seeing a wide span of applications, from highly visible grid-scale installations and medium-size office and residential applications to increased adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and their chargers (Figure 1) and even less visible roles such as propane-free industrial forklifts. The size and scope of these systems range from wide-scale and regional to highly focused and localized.

Figure 1: This row of electric vehicle charging stations is evidence of the further penetration of electric power in daily life and the associated challenges. (Source: Noel - stock.adobe.com)

The Challenge is in the Details

Regardless of the size or scope of a project, there’s one truism that every engineer with any real-world experience knows: It is the less-visible and less-glamorous components that often make the difference between a system that works to some level but has multiple shortcomings and performance issues, versus one which is solid, tight, reliable, and also meets the many safety and regulatory standards governing its operation.

Components with precise functions—such as solar panels, windmill turbines, battery management systems (BMS), and power inverters—get much of the design effort and attention. The public even recognizes them to some extent due to their high profile. Nonetheless, the reality is that many more “smaller” components are needed for a complete and properly functioning system. For example, in addition to the major blocks of a modest solar-inverter installation (Figure 2), smaller and critical functions are needed.

Figure 2: A basic solar-inverter installation has large functional blocks and smaller yet vital functions. (Source: TE Connectivity)

Two of these are:

• Contactors (orange circle 3) are high-capacity, electrically controllable on/off switches (similar to a relay) used for power distribution, main switch functions, and overall control. The contactor makes it possible to switch and control power paths.
• EMI filters (orange circle 4) provide needed attenuation of common mode and differential mode interference and electromagnetic interference (EMI), which is unavoidably created by the switching power inverters. Without these filters, the Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) create excessive interference, which affects not only its operation but nearby systems as well and will also likely fail certification to regulatory limits.

Size, Materials Must Scale

While these contractors and filters have schematic diagrams and functions similar to their counterparts in the low-power system, the similarities end there (Figures 3 and 4).

Figure 3: The contactor is an electrically controllable high voltage/current switch, similar to a relay, used to route power. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

Figure 4: EMI filters are offered in dual- and single-stage configurations and are essential for attenuating common- and differential-mode interference and electromagnetic interference (EMI). (Source: Mouser Electronics)

The components must be physically more significant, have more robust internal and external contacts and connections, use different materials and contact plating, and be suitable for rugged handling and exposed installations. Due to the higher voltages and currents, there are concerns related to contact erosion, localized heating, and high-voltage flashover and sparking, which could degrade performance or cause outright failure.

A closer look at a contactor and a filter provides a sense of these functions in higher-power applications.

The ECK150/200/250 series of high-voltage DC contactors from TE Connectivity (TE) is designed for control in EV charging stations, solar inverters, battery energy storage systems, automated guided vehicles (AGV), and battery-powered forklifts (Figure 5). The units can be used for DC breaking voltage at 1000VDC and breaking current of 2000A (both maximums) with a continuous carry current of 250A.

To achieve this performance, they are packaged in hermetically sealed cylindrical enclosures using ceramic technology, making them safe and reliable.

Figure 5: The ECK150/200/250 series of high-voltage DC contactors use ceramic-sealing technology for reliability under challenging conditions. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

The contractors are 52 millimeters long with a 56mm diameter while meeting all relevant UL, CE, and CCC approvals. As a further benefit, the built-in pulse-width modulated “economizer” activator means that the required contactor hold power is just 1.7W despite the high voltage/current ratings, which minimizes wasted energy and thermal dissipation.

The Corcom AHV series of Three-Phase High-Performance EMI Filters, also from TE Connectivity, are modules with a rated voltage of up to 760VAC and a current rating of up to 1000A. They feature a single- or dual-stage delta configuration in a compact bookshelf or chassis design, along with a small footprint to save space and costs (Figure 6); the smallest unit (7A) measures approximately 300mm deep × 140mm high × 70mm wide while the corresponding dimensions of the largest unit (180 A) are 310 × 265 × 165mm.

Figure 6: The Corcom AHV series of Three-Phase High-Performance EMI Filters are available in single- or dual-stage models to provide different levels of noise attenuation. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

They are well suited for renewable-energy converters/inverters, EV charging facilities, and other industrial equipment and devices. They are available in single- and dual-stage configurations to meet the required EMI suppression goals. For example, the 75-A single-stage bookshelf unit with terminal block input and output has these common-mode and differential-mode insertion losses in dB (Figure 7):

Figure 7: The common- and differential-mode attenuation (in dB) from 0.01 to 30MHz for a 75A, single-stage Corcom AHV-series filter is high. (Source: TE Connectivity)

In contrast, the corresponding 75A dual-stage bookshelf unit has somewhat higher attenuation for both modes across all frequencies (Figure 8).

Figure 8: If the attenuation provided by a single-stage unit is insufficient for the system or regulatory mandates, the dual-stage unit adds another approximately 10 to 20dB across the same frequency spectrum. (Source: TE Connectivity)

Conclusion

While the higher-profile functional blocks of a BESS or more minor system are critical, it’s important for designers also to pay attention when selecting passive, less-visible components such as contactors, EMI filters, and even connectors. Choosing devices that don’t have the needed ratings or mechanical or electrical, mechanical, or environmental ruggedness leads to immediate performance shortcomings, regulatory issues, and short- and longer-term reliability concerns. TE Connectivity offers a full range of products, in a wide selection of ratings and form factors, to meet these needs and fill in the large and small pieces for successful energy-storage and -delivery systems.

Original Source: Mouser

Author

Bill Schweber is a contributing writer for Mouser Electronics and an electronics engineer who has written three textbooks on electronic communications systems, as well as hundreds of technical articles, opinion columns, and product features. In past roles, he worked as a technical website manager for multiple topic-specific sites for EE Times and as the Executive Editor and Analog Editor at EDN.

He has an MSEE (Univ. of Mass) and BSEE (Columbia Univ.), is a Registered Professional Engineer, and holds an Advanced Class amateur radio license. Bill has also planned, written, and presented online courses on a variety of engineering topics, including MOSFET basics, ADC selection, and driving LEDs.

Over the past few years, electric vehicles have now appeared as a pivotal point of realizing environmental policies all through the globe. In order to meet the same, the automobile manufacturers have realized that their future products will be crafted outside the ecosystem of conventional internal commercial engines (ICE). Hence, their business models and strategies are being tweaked to go ahead with the time. For electric cars, the most crucial and expensive component is the battery and the competition rat-race is escalating among OEMs and battery makers all over the world to strengthen its foothold in the EV battery market. The positive aspect is that this rat-race is opening the gate for emerging and cutting-edge technologies.

Now, in the automobile industry, lithium-ion batteries have gained more traction than the other ones, which is simply because of the fact that in a very small package, these batteries have the potential to collate huge amounts of energy. In the past few years, more innovative battery technologies are being developed and researched to replace the lithium ones in terms of sustainability, efficiency and cost. Experts state that most of the new battery technologies are not transforming the diaphragm when it comes to energy storage and powering devices. The biggest reasons why researchers are carrying out research on new technologies are mostly associated with safety like fire danger, and the sustainability of the materials utilized in the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries, like magnesium, cobalt, and nickel.

Researchers have also added that there has been a massive improvement in the making of lithium-ion batteries and other battery technologies. Therefore, let’s find out below some of the upcoming battery technologies waiting to appear in the global EV market.

NCM 811

The energy density of lithium-ion batteries needs to be enhanced and therefore, battery-makers are investing largely on R&D and although the momentum of the improvements has been a bit slower, but lithium-ion batteries have helped in augmenting the speed and range of EVs with the help of high-energy source materials and also developing the per-unit cell size. On the other hand, various efforts have been undertaken to increase the nickel portion of total cathode materials. Earlier, many of the large battery makers have proclaimed to launch NCM 811 by 2019-2020, claims Counterpoint Research. Most importantly, NCM 811, which is equipped with 80 percent nickel, 10 percent cobalt and 10 percent manganese has a larger longevity and offers EVs with longer range on a single charge, claims Counterpoint Research. Battery manufacturer AESC announced that they are manufacturing NCM811, which promises more than 300Wh/Kg and 600-650Wh/L in 2020.

Solid-State Batteries

These batteries utilize a solid electrolyte other than a gel or liquid electrolyte. The solid electrolytes are mostly a solid polymer, ceramic, glass crafted with sulphites. This year, global auto firm BMW announced that it will commence testing solid-state batteries for its utilization in the EVs, which will be manufactured by Solid Power. PCMag claims that these batteries are now already being utilized in some smartwatches and pacemakers. These batteries, when compared to lithium-ion, pack more power and are also more efficient. Therefore, the batteries used in EVs could be charged faster, compact in size, weigh less,and  escalate driving range. Some media reports highlighted that solid-state batteries have more longevity with seven times more charging capacity. Most importantly, they are safe to operate because the solid electrolytes are fireproof. CNBC reported that these batteries could be used in EVs in early 2024.

Lithium-sulfur Batteries

In this technology, the battery’s cathode utilizes sulfur, which is more sustainable than cobalt and nickel mostly found in the anode with lithium metal. The US based battery-maker Conamix is researching to make this technology a reality and is looking forward to launching this in the market in the coming five years. Now, apart from energy storage, these batteries can also be used in trains and aircrafts. According to the experts, sulfur is available in higher quantities and is less expensive and therefore, it can reduce overall cost. There are no additional production facilities required for this battery because the manufacturing process is the same as that of lithium-ion batteries. But, the problems are corrosion and these batteries don’t last long like that of lithium-ion batteries.

Sodium-ion Batteries

These are almost similar to the lithium-ion ones, but saltwater is utilized as an electrolyte and is extremely useful in terms of energy storage. Along with less dangers of catching fires, these batteries have the potential to store around two-thirds the amount of energy in spite of having a low energy density. Compared to the lithium-ion batteries, these work far better in lower temperatures and are trouble free to recycle because of the materials used during the production. As of now, they cannot be used in electric vehicles but researchers are inventing new processes and technologies that can make them suitable for EVs.

The Current Stage of Battery Production Capacity and Market Size

Of late, Counterpoint Research in its new survey report mentioned that by the end of 2025, passenger EVs will cross around 11 million units (including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It is largely expected that by 2025, the price of electric cars will be the same as that of a conventional ICE vehicle and at the same time, it will provide innovative opportunities for battery makers and OEMs. Therefore, it is speculated that the battery market of passenger EV(BEV/PHEV) will cross over 600 GWh by 2025 and will help the industry to grab US$60 billion profit.

Battery Energy Density And EV Range On The Rise

A month back, automobile giant Ford proclaimed that they will open a new factory in Michigan that will manufacture batteries out of lithium iron phosphate solely for electric cars. With an investment of $3.5 billion, the factory is expected to begin operation by 2026. In an interaction with the media, Bill Ford, Ford’s executive chair, said "This is a big deal,” said Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer in a press conference unveiling plans for the factory. Expanding battery options will allow Ford to build more EVs faster, and ultimately make them more affordable."

Soumen Mandal, automobile researcher said, “CATL, Panasonic, LG Chem, Samsung SDI, and SK Innovation the leading battery makers are involved in a tussle to grab large orders from international car manufacturers. Therefore, they are also offering a stupendous stimulus to each other. For all the battery vendors, it is not very significant to align order backlogs as long-term orders are mostly flexible in price and quantity of sales and completely rely on the market situation. But, it is imperative to get a picture of buildup plans for the entire industry in an effort to track demand and supply movements moving forward.”

“The expansion of capacity has gained momentum because the international sales volume of EVs looks significant. Towards the end of 2018, the cumulative capacity reached 129GWh, while at the same time, the cumulative battery production capacity for electric cars will augment to 800GWh by the end of 2025, which will be spearheaded by the expansion of large OEMs,” added Mandal.

The batteries are mostly customized components when compared with other tech products. For instance, the EV batteries require optimization impeccably starting from the product development stage to get safety management and optimum power. The point to be noted is that the EV battery business is equipped with a large history of competitiveness in such product development along with mass production experience; the sector is involved with a huge entry challenge. Therefore, experts believe that the large OEMs will continue to spearhead the market and there will be no key alternations in the competitive scenario in the coming years for a while.

Justifying the statement above, Liz Lee, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research said, “What about the manufacturers who eagerly want to grab production and battery cell technology into their own hands? In the beginning, the large OMEs will be completely dependent on supply deals from various battery vendors. The long-term contracts will help to clear supply bottlenecks at a time of soaring demand and hold out the promise of cheaper batteries over time. In terms of emergency situations, the car-makers will have the ease in supply and can uplift cutthroat competition among all the vendors to get a better price.”

On 31st March 2023, the New Foreign Trade Policy (FTP), 2023 was released by the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, along with the Handbook of Procedures (HBP), 2023. The same has been notified by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) on 1 April 2023. The new policy is of great relevance for the Electronics Systems Design & Manufacturing (ESDM) Industry which contributes to a significant chunk of imports, exports, as well as is a large contributor in E-Commerce. The new FTP 2023 will also enable achieving India’s ambitious export target for the Electronics industry which is over US$ 16 Bn in the current Financial year. This has to be increased exponentially to over US$ 100 Bn if India needs to achieve the ambitious target of US$ 300 Bn of electronics production by 2026. In the policy, various alterations have been made to shift the focus to tax remissions from incentives. It is also looking for greater assistance via automation, technology and constant process re-engineering. Most importantly, the core attention has been given to the emerging regions such as e-commerce exports, developing districts as export hubs etc.

According to the Press Information Bureau, the minister told the media, "The policy is dynamic and has been kept open ended to accommodate the emerging needs of the time. He stated that the policy had been under discussion for a long time and has been formulated after multiple stakeholder consultations. India's overall exports, including services and merchandise exports, has already crossed US$ 750 Billion and is expected to cross US$ 760 Billion this year."

“The remarkable achievement in the overall export figure of crossing US$ 760 Billion in these challenging times across the world has been the result of enthusiasm and encouragement pumped in by the Prime Minister. This achievement is in sync with the target set in the roadmap in 2021 after the interaction with the Prime Minister. Every opportunity for export must be captured and utilized effectively. In the next 5 months during India’s G20 presidency there should be a massive concentrated outreach with the world both sector-wise and country-wise,” added Minister Goyal.

How FTP Is Going To Be A Game-changer For India’s Electronics Industry

On four important pillars, the FTP policy is completely relied on viz., incentive to remission, export promotion through collaboration, ease of doing business, and e-initiatives.

According to the industry body ELCINA, the key highlights of the FTP include the following among others:

• There is no end date to the new policy. Subsequent revision(s) shall be done as and when required.
• Approvals for various permissions under FTP shall now be online without any physical interface.
• Reduction in user charges for MSME under Advance Authorization (A) and Export Promotion Capital Goods (EPCG) schemes.
• Revamp of e-Certificate of Origin (CoO) platform for self-certification of CoOs as well as automatic approval of the same is proposed, where feasible.
• Paperless filing of export obligation discharge applications for greater use of technology
• Facilitation of e-commerce export by extending all FTP benefits to such exports.
• Introduction of a special one-time amnesty scheme for one-time settlement of default in export obligations.
• With no sunset date, the policy appears to be dynamic with long-term focus ensuring certainty and support to the export industry in India as well as FDIs. Effective implementation of Policy will be key to its success.
• Automation of processes and paperless filing of applications may aid in ease of doing business objectives of the Government. Businesses will need to adapt their systems to such digitized procedures.
• A lot of MSME players are an essential part of the Electronic Industry and help in its growth. Reduction in user charges in case of AA and EPCG schemes for MSMEs is likely to reduce the operational cost and encourage further exports by such enterprises.
• The establishment of E-Commerce Hubs and ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) shall form an essential support system to the Electronics industry to promote its growth. They may also facilitate significant growth in digital cross border trade.

Highlighting the importance of FTP in India’s electronics industry, Sanjay Agarwal, President ELCINA & MD, Globe Capacitors said, “As we are aware that this policy was long awaited and brings about a major shift in India’s approach to foreign trade, simplifying the import procedures and export promotion. With this policy, we hope that India will be able to achieve the ambitious export target of the electronics industry of over 16 million dollars in the current FY and it has to cross 100 billion if we want to have the electronic production of around 300 billion by the end of 2026.”

Moreover, Pankaj Jain, who is the director at Ernst & Young (EY) also stated that the FTP 2023 changes the approach from incentive based to tax remission-based model. Obviously, there are no more MEIS/SEIS based schemes. The policy sticks to basic schemes of AA, DFIA, RoSCTL, RoDTEP, EPCG etc. Exports would be promoted through collaboration between exporters, states, and districts. Also, there would be special focus on emerging areas such as e-commerce exports, developing districts as export hubs, streamlining Special Chemicals, Organism, Materials, Equipment and Technologies (SCOMET) policy etc.

The Strategies to Lead India’s Electronics System Design

During the period of 2015-2020, when the foriegn trade policy aimed to target exports of USD 900 billion by the end of 2020 and later it was extended for three years until the end of March 2023. Now, the government is looking forward to escalate the nation’s total exports to USD 2 trillion by the end of 2030, with similar contributions from the service sectors as well as merchandise. Alliances with exports and with the guidelines of trust, the FTP is centered on and is looking to formulate seamless automation and re-engineering to craft trouble free trade for the exporters.

Now, in the cross-border business, the government is also aiming to encourage the utilization of the Indian currency, assisted by the new-fangled payment settlement scheme unleashed by the RBI in July 2022. The FTP is promoting development of the electronics industry and export promotion along with wiping out the incentive schemes to a regime which is facilitating based on technology and the proposition of partnerships.

Going Forward, Kartik Kalra, Manager at Ernst & Young (EY) said, "The FTP 2023-28 places significant emphasis on SCOMET policy and aims to streamline the licensing process for the export of dual-use items. The policy aims to consolidate all policies related to the export of dual-use items under SCOMET at one place to simplify the process and make it easier for industry compliance. The policy also aims to make the export of SCOMET items more globally competitive and facilitate the export of dual-use high-quality goods and technology. These initiatives are essential for India to achieve its export targets and remain a competitive player in the global market.”

A month back, around 5.9 million tonnes of Lithium have been discovered in the state of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time, claimed by the union government. But, experts on the other hand stated that Lithium reserves were already discovered in the state back in 1999. Lithium, often known as the ‘White Gold’ is now a very important mineral as it is mostly utilized in the manufacturing process of batteries. And because of their higher density they are used in smartphones, electric vehicles, and other electronic devices. India now stands as the sixth biggest known reserves of Lithium resources in the globe. As per the official statement of the central government, out of thee 51 mineral blocks, 5 blocks pertains to gold and other blocks pertains to commodities like potash, molybdenum, base metals etc. spread across 11 states of Jammu & Kashmir (UT), Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Telangana.

Now, India is undertaking various efforts to boost the growth of the electric vehicle industry and also trying to make it affordable for the people. Some experts and government officials believe that this massive discovery of Lithium will provide impetus to the manufacturing of EV battery cells. In order to uplift the growth of lithium-ion battery manufacturing, India requires Rs 33,750 crore of investment, reports Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). By the end of 2030, the country’s lithium battery production is anticipated to be around 70-100 GWh. According to automobile experts of the country, the discovery seems very optimistic for the future of the EV industry. In this regard, Sohinder Gill, Director General, SMEV and CEO at Hero Electric told CircuitDigest, "We applaud the government's efforts in finding an Indian lithium resource.  It's a big step forward for the nation. Only a few nations now supply  lithium for the production of batteries. Lithium accounts for ~15% of the battery's cost. The cost of batteries could drop by 5% if we can purchase lithium from the Indian reserve for a price that is 2/3rd of the cost of the imported material, making EVs more affordable. The EV sector will become "Atmanirbhar" and the control of Chinese firms over the raw material will be further diminished if we are able to obtain the lithium in sufficient quantities from Indian deposits."

Since lithium is a major component in batteries, its discovery in J&K will help India progress at a faster pace in the field of battery manufacturing for the automotive industry and consumer electronics. According to a Counterpoint Research survey, the global energy storage demand for just passenger EVs is expected to reach over 3.8TWh by 2030. Along with the demand from CVs and renewable energy storage like solar and wind, the total energy storage demand for 2030 will reach a much higher number. Although other battery chemistries are being developed, as of now lithium batteries are the most reliable for energy storage. China, Europe and the US all are racing to set up battery manufacturing plants. The recently discovered lithium deposits will help India strengthen its position in the global energy market.

India’s Current Lithium Mining Scenario and Possible Challenges

As of 2022, India was importing battery cells for battery pack assembly mostly from China. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, India imported Rs 163 billion worth of lithium and lithium-ion between April and December 2022.  In 2022, India cleared a budget of Rs 18,100 crore to set up 50GWh of ACC manufacturing capacity by 2030 under the PLI scheme. The ACC PLI is expected to boost India’s EV adoption and strengthen India’s position in the energy market as well. EV sales in India are expected to reach 65% of total vehicle sales or over 24.5 million units by 2030. In an exclusive interaction with CircuitDigest, Abhik Mukherjee, Research Analyst at Counterpoint told, "the discovery of lithium along with the 2023 budget announcement of reduced excise duty on machinery required for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries will help India achieve its EV and energy generation targets at a much lower cost. It will reduce import dependency, new battery manufacturing plants will be set up, the mining sector will experience a boom and new job creation will be witnessed.”

The Salal-Himalaya region where the deposit has been found is a geographically very delicate region. It is being feared that the earthquake-prone area will face ecological destruction if heavy mining activities are carried out. Moreover, lithium extraction is a water-intensive process. Nearly 2 million liters of water is required to extract just 1 tonne of lithium. This will put huge pressure on the region’s ecosystem. Experts are suggesting ways for sustainable mining, but the higher cost of sustainable mining will reduce revenue and profits. Currently, India does not possess the technology for lithium extraction. “As India allows 100% foreign investment in the mining sector, it is expected that foreign companies will be given the responsibility of lithium extraction initially, which is not favorable for the domestic mining sector. But from a long-term perspective, we expect India to benefit from the technology transfer. Alongside these hardships, the threats from radical groups operating in and around the J&K region are something that the government needs to neutralize before the mining begins,” added Abhik. The project has the potential to face a lot of heat from locals, climate activists and radical groups, and the government will have to work its way around these hardships for a greener future.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) experts noted that it is the time to view and scrutinize how much of the discovered lithium is viable and feasible and can be commercially extracted. More examination will actually discover the volume of the total reserve. China on the other hand has already unleashed top-notch infrastructure and technological equipment and their years of experience of lithium mining extraction and refinery is an added advantage. India requires more government assistance, investment, and energy. Also, India lacks experience in refining lithium because it is associated with rocks and other minerals. The rocks need to be broken and wiping out certain chemicals with evaporation and also magnetic contamination with magnets. India has no experience in doing all these activities and moreover, there is no trusted technology, machineries and industries associated with this.

Speaking about the grave challenges of extracting Lithium in India, Senior Geologist and Earth Scientist Dr. Sreedhar Ramamurthy told CircuitDigest exclusively, "There is huge euphoria over the reported 5.9 Million Tonnes of "inferred" lithium ore near Salal in J&K based on the preliminary survey by GSI. GSI has earlier reported finds of Lithium in Karnataka, but this has attracted a lot of attention. The actual quantity of Lithium ore and extractable amount would be only known after detailed exploration is undertaken. Generally Lithium content is less than 2% of the ore. The technology to extract Lithium has to be sourced. Being in a fragile ecosystem of the Himalayas, it's also a major concern as to how mining would adversely affect the local environment. It's also worth noting that EVs could be some relief to the polluted urban environments but they fundamentally seem to be yet another 'false-solution' to the larger issue of climate justice."

Although the discovered Lithium is likely to uplift the growth of EVs in India, experts have clearly stated that if the resource is not mined scientifically then there could be serious environmental depletion and it could pose serious risks of soil degradation and air pollution. On the other hand, the waste disposal, refining, and open cast mining contaminates the groundwater largely thereby disturbing the biodiversity. The extraction from the ore is mostly water-intensive, around 2.2 million liters of water will be wasted for extracting one tonne of lithium. Additionally, mining in the Himalayan region has various societal impacts and could displace the local communities, explain experts. This particular region is home to a huge number of indigenous communities and the government could face fierce activism over this issue if mining begins.

Conclusion and Possible Solution

Back in May 2021, the central government announced a PLI scheme of Rs 18,100 crore for a term of five years to manufacture Advance Chemistry Cells (ACC) in the nation. In the same year in June, there were three bidders such as Reliance New Energy Limited who signed the agreement under the PLI scheme. Most importantly, as there are no possible alternatives, the country will have to carry on importing because there are deadlines for various ventures aimed at zero-carbon emissions coming near. Also, during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in 2021, India assured to reduce emissions to net-zero by the end of 2070 and therefore, the discovery of lithium would be critical to meet the targets in the coming years.

According to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), there could be lithium shortages internationally towards the end of 2025 and by 2050 around 2 billion electric vehicles are required to meet the net-zero target. But, EV's sales reached only 6.6 million globally. The supply of lithium is facing hurdles not only from the augmenting demand, but the resources are concentrated in few places and most of its production is available in regions with vast water stress.

Speaking of the growth and possible solution, Rajoo Goel, Secretary General of industry body ELCINA said, “Discovery of Lithium reserves in J&K is a very significant and positive development for India. It is an invaluable resource and will strengthen and accelerate the development of EV's and renewable energy capacity in India. It will enhance energy storage capacity and reduce use of fossil fuels. The key to success of course lies in successfully mining and processing Lithium for industrial use. Lithium ion batteries are a key component for energizing electronic equipment and transportation systems. We however, need to ensure safe use and recycling of Lithium based products to protect the environment.”

Shields Up! New Boards Incoming!

It is arguable that a significant contributing factor to the success of Arduino, especially in its earliest days, was the cottage industry of complementary boards created and sold by third parties. These boards, known as shields, could be inserted into the unique headers of the Arduino form factor found onboard the Diecimila, Duemilanove, and current generation Uno boards. They helped to expand the functionality of the underlying Arduino board by allowing designers to quickly integrate a variety of sensors and actuators into their Arduino-based projects. The interoperability and the ability to nest multiple shields proved a decisive victory for Arduino. Indeed, today many other embedded system manufacturers offer development boards that feature compatibility with Arduino shields (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Shields enable customized, modular design on top of the core Arduino development boards. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

The popularity of the original Arduino form factor did not prevent the company from introducing a variety of additional form factors that retained the ease of tinkering and programming. The electronics at the heart of the Arduino board have evolved over the years. Newer microcontrollers have been incorporated to provide more processing horsepower. Over the years, hardware has been added to provide increased functionality, such as Wi-Fi® and BLUETOOTH® wireless communications. Arduino has even released technology and curriculum bundles aimed at teaching science and robotics courses. Some of the highlights from the years of hardware evolution are:

1. Mega: Physically a much larger board than the Uno that exposed significantly more I/O pins (the current revision has 54 digital I/O pins, 16 analog inputs, and 4 UARTs) to give the designer more flexibility and to create more complex systems (Figure 2).

Figure 2: The Arduino Mega. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

2. Micro and Nano: As their names imply, Micro and Nano form factors are much smaller than the Uno form factor. The smaller form factor made them preferable for final designs or applications with significant size restraints.
3. Lilypad: Explicitly created for those with an interest in wearable electronics. Conductive thread replaces traditional wire as the means of connecting components.
4. MKR: The MKR line of boards is arguably the first attempt of Arduino to bridge the maker and professional markets. While the MKR family shares a compact common form factor, it offers a wide variety of architectures, communications protocols, shield-based sensors, actuators, and system interfaces. For example, there are MKR boards with Wi-Fi, LoRa, and GSM wireless protocols. In addition, there are shields for interacting with DC motors, CANbus, and RS–485 industrial protocols.

Figure 3: An example of the Arduino MKR form factor. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

5. VIDOR 4000: The VIDOR was Arduino’s first attempt at Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) hardware versus microcontrollers. While the VIDOR shared the same Cortex-M0 32-bit SAMD21 as other MKR boards and was thus programmable via the Arduino IDE, the FPGA-side of the board never really fulfilled the promise of bringing hardware description languages (HDL) such as Verilog and VHDL to the masses. Though using industrial-strength tools, it is possible to program the VIDOR with HDL; it has never proven to be something that most makers (or even professionals) have really tried to attempt.
6. Portenta: The Portena line of embedded system products marked Arduino’s expansion into hardware for dedicated professional development. Portenta brings numerous hardware improvements that make it preferable for industrial applications such as factories and automobiles. In addition, built-in support for wireless protocols such as Wi-Fi, BLE, LoRa, LTE Cat-M, and NB-IoT and legacy wired protocols such as RS-485 means Arduino can help bridge the gap between the old and the new, ensuring reliability while also adding new functionality such as machine learning and digital twins. Furthermore, the seeds of Arduino’s investment in the education market will sow countless rewards as young people who learned about electronics using an Arduino Uno will have less of a learning curve with the newer professional-grade Arduino products.
7. Nicla: The Nicla also falls under the professional umbrella, with the Nicla Vision focusing on AI-based computer vision applications (Figure 4). The almost stamp-sized form factor with the built-in camera means the Nicla Vision can be easily integrated into existing machinery with minimum fuss. The Nicla Sense ME has the same form factor while providing professional-grade motion and environmental sensing capability.

Figure 4: The Nicla Vision is offered as an AI-powered machine vision dev board. (Source: Mouser Electronics)

In the late 2010s, Arduino made moves to expand from just a hardware manufacturer to a full-fledged embedded systems ecosystem. 2019 saw the release of an online test-based certification program that allowed individuals to prove their knowledge of basic electronics, software development, and certain aspects of the Arduino ecosystem. Then in September 2020, Arduino took ownership of Google’s Science Journal smartphone application used in many science curricula (Figure 5). They even expanded the app's capability to use not just the onboard smartphone sensors but also sensors found aboard the Arduino Nano 33 BLE Sense development board.

Figure 5: The Arduino Science Lab app makes visualizing sensor data a snap. (Source: Arduino)

Arduino Today, Arduino Tomorrow

As we find ourselves rapidly approaching the beginning of Arduinos third decade, it is pretty remarkable to look back at the growth of an ecosystem that has already revolutionized electronics education and is well-positioned to do much more in the future. Today Arduino is much more than an artist-designed 8-bit microcontroller-based circuit board and barebones software development environment. Indeed, they are keeping pace, if not leading the charge, in moving embedded systems technology into the future.

There are two major trends that embedded systems developers must continue to appreciate and invest in if they wish to remain competitive. The first is the push of AI technology (such as machine learning) to the “edge,” meaning embedded electronics right at the point of action, far removed from relying on high-end servers to do all the computationally intensive processing. The Portenta and Nicla products mentioned earlier, along with partnerships with companies such as Edge Impulse, show that Arduino has no intention of resting on its laurels and is embracing AI technology.

The second trend is the continuing incremental rollout of the Internet of Things and the recent emergence of technologies explicitly built for IoT, such as Thread. In recent years, Arduino embraced the cloud and IoT (Figure 6). Starting as Arudino Create before being rebranded as Arduino Cloud in 2021, the hosted service gives developers a convenient cloud-based platform to remotely monitor and control Arduino-based solutions. Arduino made this even more convenient with the release of their IoT Remote smartphone applications available for both iOS and Android.

Figure 6: The Arduino IoT Cloud provides an entire ecosystem to manage, view, and remotely control internet-connected devices. (Source: Green Shoe Garage)

The future is looking bright for Arduino. In the course of researching and writing this article, additional significant announcements were made regarding future Arduino hardware and services. First, the company just announced Opta, their first-ever Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for industrial applications (Figure 7). The Opta will be programmable using industry-standard ladder logic diagrams and function block diagrams. Additionally, the company announced Arduino Cloud for Business. In a way that mirrors how the Pro line of products moved Arduino into industrial-grade hardware, Arduino Cloud for Business will transform Arduino Cloud in a similar manner. In addition, the business offering will include features that will make Arduino-based edge devices easier to securely provision, monitor, and update at scale.

Figure 7: The Arduino Opta, Arduino’s first PLC. (Source: Arduino)

Happy 20th Birthday, Arduino!

2023 marks Arduino’s 20th year of existence. So much has changed in our world in the intervening years. Then, there were no iPhones or Android devices, Netflix was a company that sent you DVDs via snail mail, and embedded systems were the purview of large corporations and the most tenacious hobbyists. Today we live in a world where almost anyone interested in electronics can get involved in a very hands-on way. And while Arduino is not the only company to help create this modern world, it certainly casts a big shadow for a small company started by five people at a small academic institution in Ivrea, Italy. So here is to the next twenty years, Arduino.

Oroginal Source: Mouser

About the Author

Michael Parks, P.E. is the co-founder of Green Shoe Garage, a custom electronics design studio and embedded security research firm located in Western Maryland. He produces the Gears of Resistance Podcast to help raise public awareness of technical and scientific matters. Michael is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Maryland and holds a Master’s degree in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University.