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5 Fun Facts You Might Not Know About The Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds’ Album

The Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds is often rightfully call as one of the greatest albums of all time. Released in 1966, it transformed the way pop music was perceived, elevating the genre to new artistic heights. While fans and critics alike have spent decades celebrating its lush harmonies, innovative production, and emotional depth, there are still some lesser-known details that helped shape this masterpiece.

1. It Was Inspired by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul

The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson was deeply inspired by The Beatles’ Rubber Soul, released in December 1965. Wilson was struck by how Rubber Soul worked as a cohesive album, with no filler tracks, and it motivated him to create something equally groundbreaking. In a 2011 interview, Wilson admitted that he wanted to make Pet Sounds as “a whole album where all the songs made sense together.” This rivalry pushed both bands to raise their creative stakes, eventually leading to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, influenced by Pet Sounds.

2. It Wasn’t Immediately a Commercial Success

Despite being critically revered today, Pet Sounds wasn’t an immediate hit upon its release in the United States. It peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200 and didn’t receive the commercial reception Capitol Records hoped for. At the time, many listeners expected the sun-soaked surf anthems The Beach Boys were known for, and Pet Sounds‘ introspective, orchestral sound came as a surprise. However, the album performed much better in the UK, where it reached #2 on the charts.

3. The Album Was a Solo Brian Wilson Project in Disguise

While The Beach Boys are credited as the artists, Pet Sounds was largely the vision of Brian Wilson. By 1965, Wilson had stopped touring with the band to focus on studio work, allowing him to dive deeper into experimentation with arrangements and production techniques. He wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, enlisted session musicians from the legendary Wrecking Crew to bring his ideas to life, and handled most of the production duties. The rest of the band added their iconic harmonies, but the album is largely Wilson’s personal expression.

4. The Title Pet Sounds Was a Happy Accident

The album’s title, Pet Sounds, came about almost by chance. It started as an inside joke between Wilson and fellow Beach Boy Mike Love. They originally intended the title to reflect the “pet” or favorite sounds that Brian loved to explore in the studio, including animal noises that appear on tracks like “Caroline, No.” However, as the project evolved, the title took on a deeper meaning, suggesting that the songs themselves were like Wilson’s beloved creations—his musical pets.

5. Paul McCartney Considers “God Only Knows” One of the Greatest Songs Ever Written

One of the standout tracks on Pet Sounds is the tender, heart-wrenching ballad “God Only Knows.” It’s a song so revered that Paul McCartney has publicly stated it’s one of his favorite songs of all time. In various interviews, McCartney has said, “It’s one of the few songs that reduces me to tears.” The song’s layered harmonies, minimalist lyrics, and emotional vulnerability were ahead of their time, and it remains one of the most celebrated love songs in music history.

Pet Sounds is not only a defining moment for The Beach Boys but also for pop music as a whole. Its lush arrangements, introspective lyrics, and bold production techniques were revolutionary for their time and continue to influence musicians across genres.

Photo Gallery: Testament with Kreator and Possessed at Toronto’s History

Testament

All photos by Mini’s Memories. You can contact her through Instagram or X.

Testament
Testament
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Kreator
Kreator
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Possessed
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Testament

What The Far Side Can Teach You About Effective Ideas

This is brilliant.

Watch Joan Jett Cover The Mary Tyler Moore Theme Song In 1996

In 1996, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts gave the classic Mary Tyler Moore theme song, “Love Is All Around,” a rock-and-roll twist, as they do with most of their hits. Their rollicking rendition breathed new life into the iconic TV anthem, blending Jett’s signature gritty vocals and the band’s infectious energy with the beloved melody. The cover added a rebellious edge to the tune, showcasing Jett’s ability to reinterpret classics with her style while honoring the timeless spirit of the original.

The JUNO Awards Announce Two New Categories

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced changes to its Nominating and Voting process. Over the past year, CARAS has undergone a strategic review, including working closely with our Nominating and Voting Committee to conduct the annual review of all Nominating and Voting practices for The JUNO Awards. New changes to the 2025 JUNO Awards Submissions season include the addition of two new categories, South Asian Music Recording of the Year and Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) Presented by SOCAN.

Canada has proven to be at the epicenter of South Asian music globally. South Asian Music Recording of the Year will celebrate recordings throughout the diaspora, supporting their tremendous growth and success. As one of the most prestigious awards, Songwriter of the Year receives a record number of submissions every year. The category has been split into two with the addition of the Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) Presented by SOCAN. This new award will recognize Canadian songwriters who compose some of the most recognizable songs for artists other than themselves. These two new categories showcase how The JUNO Awards continue to evolve every year. To inform future changes, we will continue to work closely with artists, industry professionals, and communities, ensuring that all decisions are made thoughtfully and inclusively reflecting trends, data and cultural significances within our communities.

2025 JUNO Awards Submissions Presented by TD open October 15, 2024 and will be accepted at junosubmissions.ca until November 7, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET.

To be considered for nomination for the 2025 JUNO Awards, national music release dates must fall between the eligibility period of September 1, 2023 – November 1, 2024.

KEY SUBMISSION DATES FOR JUNO AWARDS SUBMISSIONS PRESENTED BY TD:

  • October 15, 2024 – Submissions Presented by TD open
  • October 22, 2024 – Early bird deadline
  • November 7, 2024 – Submissions Deadline

*All dates subject to change

NOMINATING & VOTING UPDATES FOR 2025


APPLICABLE TO ALL JUNO CATEGORIES:

  • To be eligible to submit all music must be available on at least one Digital Service Provider (DSP) with the exception of Album Artwork of the Year.
  • All consumption categories will include data from September 1, 2023 – November 29, 2024 towards the artist’s tabulation that determines the Nominees

CATEGORY CHANGES:

  • Categories added for 2025:
    • Songwriter of the Year (Non-Performer) Presented by SOCAN
    • South Asian Music Recording of the Year
  • Categories being merged for 2025:
    • Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Breakthrough Group of the Year to become Breakthrough Artist or Group of the Year Presented by FACTOR, The Government of Canada and Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters celebrating 10 Nominees in the category.
  • Categories removed for 2025:
    • International Album of the Year

CATEGORY-SPECIFIC ELIGIBILITY CHANGES:

  • Rap Album/EP of the Year and Rap Single of the Year
    • The Nominees will now be determined by 50% consumption and 50% Judge vote
  • Contemporary Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year Presented by Destination Indigenous and Traditional Indigenous Artist or Group of the Year will become Recording categories.
    • Artists or Groups with Albums/EPs or Singles will now be eligible to submit in both categories
  • 12.5% Radio Audience Data, 12.5% Social Data, 50% Global consumption data and 25% CARAS Academy Delegate vote will now be used in the tabulation to determine the Nominees for the following categories:
    • Artist of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada
    • Group of the Year Presented by SiriusXM Canada

The 54th Annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2025 will be hosted in Vancouver, BC from March 27 to Sunday, March 30, 2025 culminating with The JUNO Awards at Rogers Arena on Sunday, March 30, 2025, broadcast live on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio One, CBC Music, CBC Listen and globally at CBCMusic.ca/junos.

Michael Kiwanuka Announces 2025 UK/European Live Dates + Shares New Track, “The Rest of Me”

Credit: Marco Grey

Michael Kiwanuka is very pleased to share details of a European/UK headline tour for Spring 2025.

The 12-date run will be Michael’s first headline dates in the UK/Europe since 2022, and the first opportunity to hear tracks from his forthcoming fourth album, Small Changes. The dates will include March dates in Wolverhampton, London’s Eventim Apollo, Edinburgh, concluding on 13th March at the O2 Apollo in Manchester.

Tickets for the tour go on general sale from Friday 11th October. Fans who pre-order the record through Michael’s website from now (3rd Oct) through to 5pm  on Tuesday 8th October will receive early access to tickets to all dates from 10am on Wednesday 9th October, ahead of general sale.

Small Changes is released on 15th November through Polydor Records. A third preview of the record is shared today in new track, “The Rest Of Me” – streaming now, and with a beautifully shot video by Yout – watch here

Driving conversations between producer Brian Burton (Danger Mouse) and Michael about the direction of the album and particularly The Rest Of Me, the album’s penultimate track, was the desire to make an album that transcends any notion of what is or isn’t deemed “cool”. He recalls, “We were trying to shoot for something that might have made it onto a Bill Withers album or a Sadé album.” Indeed, Sadé is the case in point on this new track, as Michael remembers afternoons as a child in the back of his aunt’s car, “where Diamond Life was rarely out of the tape machine.”

Listen to the returning single Floating Parade

Listen to Lowdown (part i) and Lowdown (part ii) HERE

Michael is currently out on a rotating headline tour across the US with Brittany Howard.

Michael Kiwanuka Live (US Dates):

3rd October – Summerstage In Central Park, New York (w/ Brittany Howard)
5th October – The Chicago Theatre, Chicago (w/ Brittany Howard)
6th October – Palace Theatre, Saint Paul (w/ Brittany Howard)
8th October – The Mission Ballroom, Denver (w/ Brittany Howard)
10th October – Idaho Botanical Garden: Outlaw Field, Boise (w/ Brittany Howard)
11th October – Edgefield Concerts, Troutdale (w/ Brittany Howard)
12th October – Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver (w/ Brittany Howard)
14th October – Britt Festival Pavilion, Jacksonville (w/ Brittany Howard)
15th October – Paramount Theatre, Seattle (w/ Brittany Howard)
17th October – The Greek Theatre, Berkeley (w/ Brittany Howard)
18th October – Greek Theatre, Los Angeles (w/ Brittany Howard)
19th October – Vina Robles Amphitheatre, Paso Robles (w/ Brittany Howard)

Michael Kiwanuka Live (Europe/UK):

25th February – Sporthalle, Hamburg
26th February – AFAS Live, Amsterdam
28th February – Le Zénith, Paris
1st March – Forest National, Brussels
3rd March – Alcatraz, Milan
4th March – Halle 622, Zurich
6th March – Zenith, Munich
7th March – Jahrhunderthalle, Frankfurt
9th March – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
10th March – Eventim Apollo, London
12th March – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
13th March – O2 Apollo, Manchester

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young to Release Unreleased 1969 Fillmore East Concert as Double Live Album

After famously playing their second show at Woodstock in August 1969, David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young spent the rest of the year touring and writing songs for what would become CSNY’s 1970 debut, Déjà Vu. A newly discovered multi-track recording of the band’s September 20, 1969, concert at the historic Fillmore East in New York City captures an early moment from that first tour and will be released as a double live album on October 25.

Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 will be available from Rhino.com on vinyl (2LP) and CD. Pre-Order HERE. A special clear-vinyl edition will be available exclusively at select retailers on the same day. An unreleased live version of “Helplessly Hoping” is available today digitally. Listen HERE.

Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young were heavily involved in the creation of this never-before-heard live show. Stills and Young compiled and mixed the original eight-track concert recordings with John Hanlon at Sunset Sound Studios in Los Angeles. The audio is AAA lacquer cut for the vinyl release to provide the highest audio fidelity.

Young recently said: “[We] have the tapes, and they sound so real. We mixed at Sunset Sound – the analog echo chamber, no digital echo. We’re staying all analog throughout the production…Pure. Analog. No digital – an Analog Original.”

Recorded only a month after Woodstock, the September 20 concert was the band’s fourth show in two days at the Fillmore East and featured both acoustic and electric sets. Stills shares they were still figuring things out, “the acoustic part of the show took care of itself, but now that we had equipment and Dallas [Taylor, drums] and Greg [Reeves, bass] and sizable shows to do, we just went for it. What we lacked in finesse, we made up for in enthusiasm…A band on the run. Expecting to fly.”

The setlist spotlights soon-to-be classics from CSN’s self-titled debut and Young’s Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere with “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes,” “Helplessly Hoping,” and “Down By The River.” The concert also features early versions of two future Déjà Vu tracks. Stills delivers a stunning solo acoustic performance of his introspective ballad “4 + 20,” followed by Nash, alone at the organ, singing “Our House” to its inspiration, Joni Mitchell, who was in the Fillmore audience.

In the acoustic set, Young gave a nod to Buffalo Springfield (his first band with Stills) playing “I’ve Loved Her So Long,” a song he wrote for the group’s final album, 1968’s Last Time Around. Young says, “For me, CSNY was a chance to reunite with Steve Stills and carry on the Buffalo Springfield vibe. Crosby’s great energy was always our catalyst. Graham and Stephen’s vocals, along with David’s and mine, were uplifting every night. Great moments I will never forget.”

The electric set is powerful and intense, highlighted by expansive versions of “Wooden Ships,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Sea Of Madness.” The band closes the show with “Find The Cost Of Freedom,” a new song by Stills that later would be released as the B-side to the protest anthem “Ohio.”

“Hearing the music again after all these years, I can tell how much we loved each other and loved the music that we were creating,” Nash says. “We were four people reveling in the different sounds we were producing, quietly singing together on the one hand, then rocking like f**k for the rest of the concert.”

Upon coming together in 1969, Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young (CSNY) captured lightning in a bottle and cemented a once-in-a-generation creative union between four of rock ‘n’ roll’s most distinct, impassioned, and prolific personalities—David Crosby, Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young. On March 11, 1970, the group unveiled their full-length debut album, Déjà vu. The ten-track opus housed staples such as the Joni Mitchell-penned “Woodstock,” “Teach Your Children,” “Our House,” and “Carry On.” Peaking at #1 on the Billboard 200, it eventually achieved a 7x-Platinum RIAA certification. Indicative of the record’s seismic generational impact, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Recording Registry, while the Recording Academy chose the LP for induction in the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone touted it among the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” The group catalog expanded with the platinum-certified American Dream [1988] and Looking Forward [1999]. They also headlined a string of seminal sold-out tours. Rewinding to their early days, they took the stage at The Fillmore East for four shows in just two days on September 19-20, 1969. 55 years later, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young share the final gig from this particular run as the 2LP/2CD set Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 in 2024. A newly unearthed multi-track recording of the late show on September 20 brings this night to life again. It’s both a snapshot of a band that’s assuredly enjoying its recently found footing and a harbinger of their future together. With 20 million records sold and billions of streams, the music of CSNY remains firmly woven forever into the fabric of the American Songbook.

Live At The Fillmore East, 1969 Tracklist

Side One
“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”
“Blackbird”
“Helplessly Hoping”
“Guinnevere”
“Lady Of The Island”

Side Two
“Go Back Home”
“On The Way Home”
“4 + 20”
“Our House”
“I’ve Loved Her So Long”
“You Don’t Have To Cry”

Electric Set
Side One
“Long Time Gone”
“Wooden Ships”
“Bluebird Revisited”
“Sea Of Madness”

Side Two
“Down By The River”
“Find The Cost Of Freedom”

CD Tracklist

Acoustic Set
“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”
“Blackbird”
“Helplessly Hoping”
“Guinnevere”
“Lady Of The Island”
“Go Back Home”
“On The Way Home”
“4 + 20”
“Our House”
“I’ve Loved Her So Long”
“You Don’t Have To Cry”

Electric Set
“Long Time Gone”
“Wooden Ships”
“Bluebird Revisited”
“Sea Of Madness”
“Down By The River”
“Find The Cost Of Freedom”

The Who Honored with Exclusive Royal Mail Stamp Collection

The iconic British rock band The Who has been honored with a special collection of Royal Mail stamps, celebrating their incredible contribution to music over the past six decades. The collection features stamps and collectable item showcasing some of the band’s most memorable moments, from their electrifying performances to iconic album covers like Tommy and Who’s Next. The Royal Mail’s tribute highlights the influence The Who has had on music and culture worldwide, from their early Mod-era roots to becoming one of rock’s most legendary acts. You can pre-order here.

Oasis Fans Are Being Scammed With Pre-Sale “Tickets”

As excitement builds to Taylor Swift-levels for Oasis’s highly anticipated North American tour, there’s an unfortunate reality facing eager fans: ticket scalpers are already hard at work, selling thousands of tickets at inflated prices before they’re even officially on sale. While the presale is scheduled to begin on October 3rd and the general public can start purchasing tickets on October 4th, some buyers have already been deceived into paying outrageous sums—up to $4200 for specific seats in major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, and Mexico City.

But here’s the catch: many of these tickets aren’t even real.

What fans may not realize is that these listings for tickets are speculative. They’re not genuine tickets, but promises by scalpers to secure seats later—sometimes using bots or other shady methods to scoop up tickets during the actual sale. This practice, known as “speculative ticketing” or “ghost ticketing,” remains legal in many states and is a major source of profit for ticket resellers. The process is simple but deceptive: sellers list tickets they don’t yet possess, and if they manage to buy them during the sale, they fulfill the order. If they can’t, the transaction is canceled, leaving the fan without access to the event they thought they were attending.

So, how do scalpers manage to get access to tickets before they’re even released? One key factor is the use of sophisticated technology, including bots, which are programmed to buy up large quantities of tickets as soon as they go live. These bots can bypass captchas and other security measures, giving scalpers an unfair advantage over real fans. Additionally, some individuals have insider access or utilize presale codes meant for specific groups, further tipping the scales in favor of scalpers.

Even though Oasis has chosen not to implement dynamic pricing, a strategy where ticket prices fluctuate based on demand, fans are still paying hundreds more than they would have if they had purchased directly from authorized ticket vendors. Scalpers are exploiting the passion and dedication of Oasis fans, knowing full well that many are willing to pay any price for a seat at one of these soon-to-be legendary shows.

Ticket scalping, particularly speculative ticketing, is a massive industry. Platforms like VividSeats have even branded the practice as “Seat Saver,” where buyers pay a fixed price for a ticket the seller promises to obtain. According to VividSeats, “This Seat Saver listing is a service backed by our 100% buyer guarantee in which the seller is offering to buy tickets for you for a fixed price in the listed section.” Unfortunately, fans often end up paying far more than they would have if they had purchased tickets directly.

StubHub, Viagogo, and other major resale platforms are also notorious for hosting these ghost tickets. While some sellers may disclose that the tickets are speculative, many do not, and fans often believe they’re buying a legitimate ticket only to realize later that they’ve been duped.

This practice doesn’t just affect fans emotionally—it’s a financial blow, too. Cumulatively, scalpers are expected to earn hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars, by selling and reselling Oasis tickets at inflated prices. Fans are often left waiting months for tickets that may never arrive, with no guarantee they’ll even have a seat when the day of the show finally comes.

So, how can you avoid falling victim to these schemes? Here are a few strategies to help protect yourself from ticket scams:

  1. Stick to Official Vendors: The most reliable way to purchase tickets is through official vendors like Ticketmaster or the venue’s own website. Be cautious of third-party resale platforms, especially if the tickets are listed before the official sale date.
  2. Research the Reseller: If you must buy from a resale platform, do your research. Look for reviews and feedback from previous buyers to ensure the platform is reputable and offers some form of guarantee. Also, be sure to check whether the listing discloses that the tickets are speculative.
  3. Be Wary of Pre-Sale Promises: If a listing is offering tickets before they’ve even gone on sale to the public, it’s likely a speculative listing. Avoid these at all costs, as you’re essentially gambling on whether the reseller will actually secure tickets for you.
  4. Know Your Consumer Rights: Familiarize yourself with local consumer protection laws and the resale policies of platforms like StubHub and VividSeats. Many platforms offer buyer guarantees, but the fine print can vary. Make sure you understand the terms and conditions before making a purchase.
  5. Watch for Red Flags: Suspiciously high prices, vague descriptions, or listings that seem too good to be true are all warning signs. If a ticket seems overpriced or is being sold in a shady manner, trust your instincts and avoid it. If it’s too good to be true, it is. And nobody is selling their tickets below cost on Facebook because they couldn’t find a babysitter.

Industry professionals are not taking this issue lightly. Nathaniel Marro, Executive Director of NITO (National Independent Talent Organization), is one of many voices calling for change. “These fans think they got tickets of a lifetime but instead just dropped hundreds of dollars on something that doesn’t even exist,” Marro said in a recent statement. “The worst part is, they could be waiting months for tickets to arrive only to end up empty-handed. Spec ticketing should be banned, period. It’s common sense—you shouldn’t be able to sell something you don’t actually possess.”

NITO, in partnership with the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) and the FixTheTix coalition, is pushing for state and federal legislation that would make speculative ticketing illegal. They’ve even filed a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), urging them to investigate the potentially illegal use of bots and other technologies by scalpers.

As much as Oasis fans may be eager to secure tickets for this monumental tour, it’s important to remain vigilant. The ticket resale market can be a minefield of scams, inflated prices, and speculative offers. By staying informed and sticking to official sources, fans can protect themselves from being ripped off and ensure they don’t miss out on the chance to see one of the greatest rock bands of our time.

Don’t let scalpers ruin your Oasis experience. Be cautious, do your research, and fight back by supporting efforts to ban speculative ticketing practices. Together, we can make live music fairer and more accessible for everyone.

Eco-Friendly Battery: How to Make the Earth Greener?

By Mitch Rice

Global lithium-ion battery manufacturing soars with increasing renewable energy demand and electric vehicle adoption. Batteries now power everything from smartphones to electric vehicles. The advantages are obvious: they allow for cleaner transportation, aid renewable energy grids, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. 

Yet, at the same time, the increasing production of these batteries creates some environmental impact. Battery production, as well as disposal, causes pollution and resource depletion as well as energetic inefficiency. This will introduce which one of these battery products is most harmful to the environment and how an eco-friendly battery and its manufacturing can make the Earth greener. 

The Pollution Problem in Battery Production

Many years of greening the economy using power for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage have proven difficult for lithium-ion battery manufacturing. And it is not free of problems. The production and disposal of batteries have been a leading source of pollution because of toxic materials, energy-intensive manufacture, and also not a very efficient recycling system. Which are the most toxic batteries in this sense? How might efficient, eco-friendly batteries diminish these kinds of effects? Let’s take a look.

Battery Type Key Materials Pollutants to Earth
Lead-Acid Battery Lead, Sulfuric Acid Toxic lead leakage, sulfuric acid contamination, non-biodegradable waste
Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) Nickel, Cadmium Cadmium pollution, heavy metal contamination of soil and water
Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) Nickel, Rare Earth Metals Environmental damage from mining rare earth metals
Lithium-Ion Battery Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel Cobalt mining pollution, heavy energy consumption during production

Table 1: Most Polluting Batteries and Their Impact

Lead-acid batteries also happen to be the oldest but are infamous for the damage they cause to the environment from leakage of lead. Nickel-cadmium batteries pollute soil and water systems with toxic cadmium. Even with the newest lithium-ion battery, damage is done in the mining of lithium, cobalt, and nickel. 

Therefore, alternatives must be identified through greenish batteries to reduce the pollution of the environment.

What Makes a Battery Eco-Friendly?

An eco-friendly battery is one that causes the least harm to the environment during its lifecycle, from production and usage to disposal. These types of batteries are mainly classified based on the materials used, recyclability, and energy efficiency. The following are some of the types considered more eco-friendly:

  1. Solid-State Batteries

New solid-state batteries are emerging as one of the best eco-friendly battery technology. These substitute liquid electrolytes typically found in traditional batteries with the more stable nature of solid materials for safety and efficiency. The shelf life of solid-state batteries is longer and less leaky, which has reduced replacements that occur too frequently.

  • Sodium-Ion Batteries

Sodium-ion batteries are also said to be environment-friendly because they use high amounts of sodium that are relatively less toxic to the soil as their component rather than using lithium or cobalt. This would bring down the extraction process of this energy as being less resource intensive.

Although the types of batteries offer greener alternatives to traditional forms of batteries, challenges exist that will be handled to make mass adoption possible.

Main Contributing Factors to Battery Pollution

Battery production, usage, and disposal all pollute the environment in a variety of ways. These include the following factors:

  1. Fossil Fuel-based Primary Sources of Electricity for Battery Charging

Electric cars actually emit less than the overall emissions produced by gasoline vehicles, but it is often burned as electricity, where renewable energy remains unpopular. Germany, for example, is very stringent when it comes to renewable energy sources, but pollution of the battery stays unless coal and natural gas usage is eliminated.

  • Battery Material Mining

Lithium, cobalt, and nickel are some of the key materials from which lithium-ion batteries are produced. The extraction of these materials is generally critical for the environment because it is said to be energy-intensive and usually leads to soil and water pollution through destructive chemicals. Specifically, cobalt mining has been characterized by major environmental and human rights abuses, particularly where developing countries are concerned.

  • No Recycling

One of the challenges is that there is no strong enough recycling system in place for batteries. Estimates from the European Union indicate that around 48% of portable batteries and accumulators sold in the EU were collected for recycling in 2021. However, 242,000 tonnes are purchased in the EU. In the United States, the number is even worse. In 2021, approximately 200 million batteries were sold in the U.S. However, the recycling rate is estimated to be around 5% for lithium-ion batteries. 

Society is still facing the challenges of recycling consciousness, which is hampering the progress of sustainability. 

  • Process for Making a Battery

The energy needed to produce the battery itself is enormous. Most battery plants often it is sourced from non-renewable sources. Making batteries would lead to increases in carbon emissions. In this regard, breakthroughs in the manufacturing process are needed.

Minimize the Environmental Impact of Battery Manufacturing

To achieve green lithium battery manufacturing, assembly and production of the eco-friendly battery level have to be sustainable. Some of the ideas to begin this pathway are as follows:

  1. Renewable Energy for Manufacturing

Solar, wind or hydropower-generated electricity should be used to power the eco-friendly battery assembly plants on-site. The supply of renewables will reduce the carbon footprint of the battery.

  • Sustainable Material Sourcing

The use of recycled lithium or sodium instead of freshly mined lithium or cobalt should be taken towards a lesser environmental impact. It does not only save a precious natural resource but also cuts down pollution through mines.

  • Increase Battery Recycling

Governments and manufacturers have to invest in better recycling infrastructure so as to recover valuable materials from the used batteries. Recycling is a vital practice that transforms toxic waste for reaching the goal of eco-friendliness. By recycling toxic batteries, we can recover these precious metals, reducing the need to mine new raw materials, a process that is often energy-intensive and environmentally damaging. 

  • Improve Manufacturing Efficiency

The manufacturers have to adopt technologies that make the process of producing the batter more energy efficient. For example, using automation solutions to manufacture eco-friendly batteries that create great energy efficiency in production generally saves the total emissions.

SZJ Automation: Prismatic Cell Turnkey Solution towards Eco-Friendly Manufacturing 

SZJ Automation has developed an advanced Prismatic Cell Turnkey Solution to make eco-friendly battery production more efficient and sustainable. Since this solution has automated most of the steps involved in a battery pack’s assembly, it minimizes human error, saves time on production, and manages resources effectively. 

Moreover, the continuous laser welding technology developed by SZJ Automation increases the efficiency of prismatic and blade cell production equipment by 3-5 times compared to conventional segmental welding. This technology can bring greener, eco-friendly battery manufacturing because: 

  • Reduced Waste: More precise and efficient welding reduces material wastage during the manufacturing process. Less waste means fewer materials need to be produced, processed, or recycled, which directly reduces environmental impact.
  • Lower Energy Consumption: Increased efficiency in the welding process means less energy is consumed per unit of production. This reduction in energy usage is crucial for decreasing the carbon footprint of the whole manufacturing process.
  • Improved Product Quality and Lifespan: Better welding techniques can lead to higher quality and durability of battery cells, which in turn extend the lifespan of battery products. Longer-lasting batteries reduce the frequency of replacement, thereby lowering the demand for raw materials and decreasing the production of waste.

In this regard, this turnkey automatic solution helps battery manufacturers produce eco-friendly batteries under quality and efficiency standards that can be produced under the best technology applications. SZJ Automation also offers manufacturing solutions that are compatible with different types of eco-friendly battery chemistries, like sodium-ion. So, they provide manufacturers a chance to explore greener alternatives without capping the production cost. 

Conclusion

Prismatic Cell Turnkey Solution from SZJ Automation offers manufacturers all that they need to manufacture eco-friendly batteries efficiently. The company remains at the forefront of innovation and sustainability with trusted collaborations in solutions to make processes for battery production more environmentally friendly and efficient. Excellent batteries, and high-quality, form part of increasing demand when manufacturers adopt this solution while contributing to a greener Earth. Contact them to understand more.

Data and information are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended for investment or other purposes.

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That Eric Alper
6-time nominee for Publicist of the Year during Canadian Music Week, a 16-time JUNO Award winner overseeing PR campaigns, and have also been truly honoured to work with some of the biggest and most important artists of our time.

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