How cobalt helps power our world
To power cars with sunlight, we need cobalt. Starting at the solar farm, cobalt helps stabilise the temperature of the batteries needed to properly store the sun’s intermittent energy and feed it into the grid when needed. And when it comes to electric vehicles, it’s thanks to cobalt that batteries can undergo thousands of charge cycles without losing performance.
The world needs materials like cobalt to move towards a sustainable future. At Trans Africa Container , we believe that sourcing these materials in a sustainable way is crucial.
Renewable energy from solar and wind is essential for the decarbonized economy. Rechargeable batteries containing cobalt store electricity when it is produced so that it can be used when the wind is not blowing, tides are not flowing, or the sun is not shining.
Working along with The Cobalt Institute (CI) a non-profit trade organisation which promotes the responsible and sustainable production and use of cobalt in all forms. The Innovation Platform’s Lorna Malkin spoke to the CI’s past President, David Weight, about the growing importance of cobalt in the renewable energy market and why this metal, and others, will play an essential role in the green energy transition.
source the cobalt institute.
Wind power
Wind power is one of the fastest growing sources of renewable energy and could generate 35% of global electricity production by 2050. Wind power is generated by using large turbine blades to use wind power to rotate a shaft that feeds into a generator. To create electricity, the generator is dependent on a magnetic field. Permanent magnets in the generator create the magnetic field without any input of electricity, allowing the turbines to run at lower wind speeds while still producing energy. The use of permanent magnets also negates the need for a gearbox in the turbine, making the machinery more reliable and less expensive to maintain. As an important component of the strongest permanent magnets, cobalt is a vital element for renewable wind power.
source the cobalt institute.
Biogas
Cobalt plays an important role in renewable biogas technology. Biogas is a methane-based energy carrier and is widely used for delocalised electricity and heat production or as a renewable replacement for natural gas. Biogas is an environmental technology which produces energy-rich gases by degrading complex organic materials including those found in landfill waste, sewage sludge, bio-waste treatment and certain species of crops. The fermentation involved in biogas production can be improved by adding small amounts of cobalt sulphate, cobalt chloride, cobalt carbonate, or cobalt acetate.
How we source a sustainable future.
• Fighting child labour
• Think in circles
• Help nature return
• Earn trust
• Put safety first
• Tackle complex challenges
• Act on climate change
Collective action will support the formalization of ASM and address the root causes that stem from poverty. Formalizing ASM should include the development of standards in line with basic human rights principles and environmental standards. In the case of ASM, these standards include basic infrastructure, health and safety measures, and monitoring to assess compliance with these standards.
• Protects vulnerable populations
• Reduces poverty
• Ensures traceability of operations
• Generates jobs and income
• Empowers women
• Improves working conditions
Our Responsibility
Along with our partners and The Cobalt Institute we engaged with a number of multi-stakeholder initiatives with the principal aim of putting artisanal mining in the DRC on a legitimate and transparent footing, as well as seeking to address the root causes of poverty.
Approved continuation of Cobalt Production means we strictly follow
COBALT INDUSTRY RISK ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK (CIRAF)
The Cobalt Industry Responsible Assessment Framework (CIRAF) is a management tool designed for all companies, whether or not they are producing and/or sourcing from high-risk countries. CIRAF consolidates due diligence actions being taken by companies across the cobalt industry to demonstrate best practice and meet the expectations of civil society, the media and the cobalt market. As such, CIRAF provides a unified yet flexible approach towards responsible and sustainable cobalt production and sourcing.