Global EV News
Daily EV news · Global · 31 October 2026
Stories
Electric Vehicles
University of Texas at Austin develops bio-inspired membrane for cleaner lithium extraction
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a membrane with nanoscale artificial channels, inspired by how ions pass in and out of living cells, that lets lithium ions through while filtering out other materials. The team says the process could extract lithium faster, more easily and with less harmful waste than current methods, which must separate lithium from other dissolved materials whether it comes from hard rock, brine or recycled batteries. Professor Manish Kumar said the goal is "a process that is faster, cleaner and easier to run", though the published excerpt gives no performance figures, costs or commercial timeline.
Why it matters
This is early stage university research with no stated route to market, so it has no near term bearing on battery supply or charging hardware procurement. It is one to watch for its potential to ease lithium supply pressure and the environmental scrutiny facing the wider EV supply chain.
Grid & Energy
Co-located battery storage now accounts for over 16% of new US utility-scale solar capacity added this year
According to data reported to EIA by operators, over 16% of new utility-scale solar capacity added so far this year (as of September 2026) is co-located with operable battery storage, compared with 2% in 2017. Plans for solar additions due online in the last three months of the year suggest the share could reach 19% for the year, and plans submitted for 2027 and 2028 show it rising to more than 30%. Co-location lets operators send solar output to the grid or the battery depending on wholesale prices, which tend to fall when solar output is high and rise as it drops.
Why it matters
Growing solar and storage pairing points to more grid-connected sites with on-site batteries and price-responsive dispatch, which may shape how CPOs and developers approach site power, grid connection and storage partnerships. Procurement teams should note that the figures come from EIA reporting on US utility-scale plants, so they signal a wider market direction rather than EV-charging-specific demand.