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Kenya (Commonwealth) _ Beginning in January 2024, importers of electric batteries will need to provide documentation proving that the batteries were examined by Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) agents at the site of origin before to export.
In a notification, Kebs states that before being exported, motor vehicle batteries and all-electric bikes must pass conformance certification. The goal of the action is to guarantee the introduction of standardized batteries for safety and prevent risks like fires brought on by defective goods.
We would like to inform all importers of batteries for electric motorcycles and electric motor vehicles that, as of January 1, 2024, all batteries for these vehicles that are imported into the nation must go through an obligatory pre-export verification of conformity at the country of origin, conducted by Pre-shipment Verification of Conformity (PVOC) agents appointed by Kebs, the notice stated.
The government further stated that only electric batteries that are accompanied by conformance certifications provided by the authorized agencies would be permitted entry into the nation. One of the main worries about electric cars is that their battery packs might catch fire, which could have disastrous effects on both persons and property.
Due to negative media coverage of alleged battery fires, a few international automakers have come under pressure Manufacturers like Ford, Hyundai, Tesla, and Chevrolet are now in a difficult situation. The usage of lithium batteries has resulted in fires, endangering both drivers and other road users.
Thermal runaway is a recognized phenomenon in lithium-ion and lithium-metal cells following failure. A thermal runaway causes a battery cell’s temperature and pressure to rise quickly, releasing flammable gas in the process.
A conformity assessment program known as PVOC is used on products in the exporting nations to make sure they comply with Kenyan laws, mandated standards, and authorized specifications.
In 2040, producers of renewable energy technologies will require forty times more lithium (link is external), twenty-five times more graphite, and around twenty times more nickel and cobalt, according to International Energy Agency projections.
In order to take advantage of this opportunity, the African Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) convened in 2021 to identify strategies for allocating investments to increase Africa’s share of the value chain for lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles, and clean energy.
Together with enormous hydroelectric power potential, the DRC possesses 51 per cent of the world’s cobalt deposits. Therefore, according to a research by the African Development Bank titled “Strengthening Africa’s Role in the Battery and Electric Vehicle Value Chain,” the nation is ideally positioned to become a low-cost and low-emission manufacturer of lithium-ion battery precursor materials and cells. Furthermore, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are Africa’s top producers of copper, a crucial component for wiring and motors.
About 49% of the global market for rechargeable batteries is made up of lithium-ion batteries, which also dominate the EV sector. Among other places, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, or Gabon are home to some of the minerals required to make them, such as cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, and graphite.
Beyond electric cars, lithium batteries have other energy-related applications. The apparatus is the most effective means of resolving the “intermittency” issue associated with electricity produced by hydroelectric, solar, and wind energy sources. The demand for so-called green minerals, such as rare earth minerals, copper, and graphite, is expected to soar as wealthier countries try to decarbonize their industries.
Creating value chains for electric vehicles in mineral-rich nations like Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo would allow investors to participate in the growing electric vehicle (EV) industry, which is estimated to be valued up to $57 trillion by 2050.
