We could soon be faced with a battery shortage as the planet starts moving towards renewable energies.

Researchers from University College London have noted that a lack of sulphuric acid is a potential future resource crisis that could “stifle green technology and threaten food security” from global decarbonisation.

A waste biproduct of desulphurisation of crude oil and natural gas, sulphuric acid is currently in abundance, and makes up more than 80% of the global supply.

The by-product is useful for global products, including the production of phosphorus fertiliser and manufacturing lightweight electric motors and high- performance lithium- ion batteries.

However, as the global economy attempts to tackle climate change by decarbonising energy production, the knock-on effect means the supply of sulphur will decrease, meaning we could face a future battery shortage.

Due to the increase in usage and requirement for electric vehicles and household items, global demand for sulphuric acid is set to rise from ‘246 to 400 million tonnes’ by 2040.

The research, published in Geographical Journal, estimated that there could be a shortfall in annual supply of between 100 and 320 million tonnes depending on the speed that humans decarbonise.

Study lead author, Professor Mark Maslin commented: “Sulphur shortages have occurred before, but what makes this different is that the source of the element is shifting away from being a waste product of the fossil fuel industry.

“What we’re predicting is that as supplies of this cheap, plentiful, and easily accessible form of sulphur dry up, demand may be met by a massive increase in direct mining of elemental sulphur. This, by contrast, will be dirty, toxic, destructive, and expensive.”

He added: “Research is urgently needed to develop low-cost, low environmental impact methods of extracting large quantities of elemental sulphur from the abundant deposits of sulphate minerals in the Earth’s crust.

“The international community should consider supporting and regulating sulphur mining to minimise the impacts of the transition and also to avoid cheap unethical production from distorting the market.”

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Researchers suggested that more data must be collected to work towards developing low-cost, low environmental impact methods of extracting large quantities of sulphur.

The paper said that, unless action is taken to reduce the need for sulfuric acid in the coming decades, a massive increase in environmentally damaging mining will be required to fill this resource demand.

Dr Simon Day, a co-author on the research, added: “Our concern is that the dwindling supply could lead to a transition period when green tech outbids the fertiliser industry for the limited more expensive sulphur supply, creating an issue with food production particularly in developing countries.”

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