The world is slowly breaking its dependence on fossil fuels. Global policy , along with economic considerations and technological developments, has helped to usher in a new era in which oil will have lost its prominence as the world diversifies its energy sources. Although that day is still at least a decade away, the transition is in progress. And batteries are leading the charge. Today, lithium-ion batteries are the gold standard in battery technology, not only in transportation but also, increasingly, for grid storage . That doesn't mean lithium is the "new oil." The amount of lithium required to build a battery that can power an electric vehicle pales in comparison to the quantity of oil it takes to continually fuel an internal combustion engine. In terms of energy storage and supporting electrical grids, moreover, lithium-ion batteries are in no danger of superseding natural gas anytime soon.