In some regions, the roll out of new wind and solar has outpaced new transmission. That causes “congestion” at times when the variable renewables are producing too much power locally, and cannot sell the excess, which squeezes profitability. That’s certainly the case in the U.S. now. One answer is “hybridisation” where storage is built alongside the renewables, to save that excess power for when it can be sold later. Julie Mulvaney Kemp at … [Read more...]
Long-duration storage: mechanical, electrochemical, thermal. We’ll need all three
“Long-duration” means the amount of time a power system can discharge electricity (this is different from long-term storage, i.e. the amount of time a system can store energy before discharging it). As Maria Chavez at UCS explains, it’s vital to the success of intermittent wind and solar roll-out which needs to store its excess generation for when it’s needed. And as electrification grows it will provide greater grid flexibility and resilience … [Read more...]
EU’s 40% domestic Cleantech ambition: same target for Wind (easy) and Solar (hard) doesn’t make sense
The proposed Net Zero Industry Act includes a target for the EU to manufacture domestically at least 40% of its cleantech deployment needs by 2030. That includes the key technologies of solar PV panels, wind turbines (onshore and offshore), EV batteries, heat pumps and hydrogen electrolysers. But it doesn’t make sense to have the same 40% target for all, explain Giovanni Sgaravatti, Simone Tagliapietra and Cecilia Trasi at Bruegel. The main … [Read more...]
How will China respond to the EU’s “40% made at home” clean energy tech ambition
The EU’s Net Zero Industry Act wants to drive home-grown production of eight “strategic” net-zero technologies, including solar, wind, batteries and CCS. The target is 40% made at home, though the policy is yet to be worked out. You Xiaoying writing for China Dialogue talks to experts in China and the EU for their predictions. Most say that Chinese firms are not very worried. Firstly, they can – and are already making moves to – set up production … [Read more...]
“Flow Batteries” for grid-scale storage: modelling cheaper alternatives to Vanadium
Flow batteries are a promising new technology for grid storage. Rather than the standard batteries that store charge in a solid material, they use a solution to store that charge, making large-scale long-duration electricity storage much easier. Vanadium electrolytes have been the preferred choice so far, but affordable supplies are limited and a cheaper alternative will be needed for global scale-up, explains Nancy Stauffer at MIT who describes … [Read more...]
LIBRA: modelling sustainable Battery supply chains as Grids and EVs scale up
Sustainable battery manufacture needs supply chains that minimise gaps and maximise resilience. Rebecca Martineau at NREL describes their Lithium-Ion Battery Resource Assessment Model (LIBRA) that guides investments and research to make sure the growth of grid storage and EV batteries continues uninterrupted. LIBRA tracks the movement of lithium, cobalt, nickel and other elements through the supply chain, and is designed to adapt to … [Read more...]
“Combustion” can make cathodes for lithium-ion batteries more cheaply, quicker, using less energy
Burning things produce soot. And that soot contains materials that have been morphed into something else. As Nancy Stauffer at MIT explains, new research there has shown the burning process can be used to produce cathodes far more cheaply, quicker, more simply, and with less energy than the standard method. It’s another example, from an unexpected direction, of innovations cutting the costs of an essential component of the energy transition: … [Read more...]
Analysis: U.S. IRA subsidies put two-thirds of Europe’s battery production pipeline at risk
Major battery manufacturing projects earmarked for Europe are now looking to site themselves in the U.S. to take advantage of its IRA subsidies, according to a new report by T&E. It says over two-thirds of lithium-ion battery production planned for Europe – a pipeline potential of 1.8 TWh - is now at risk of being delayed, scaled down or cancelled. The nations most at risk of losing the business are Germany, Hungary, Spain, Italy, the UK and … [Read more...]
Fast-charging lightweight next-gen lithium metal batteries: has the “short circuit” problem been solved?
Research into next-generation lithium metal batteries that have a solid electrolyte hold out the promise of being high in energy density, low weight, non-flammable, and can be recharged very quickly. But they can short-circuit easily. Andrew Myers writing for the Precourt Institute at Stanford University describes breakthrough experiments that reveal why. The slightest bend, twist, or speck of dust will cause imperceptible crevices in the ceramic … [Read more...]
Europe vs U.S: incentivising battery manufacture to take the global lead from China
Europe is already well placed to end its reliance on Chinese Li-ion battery cells by 2027, according to a study by Transport & Environment (T&E). The new analysis of battery-makers’ announcements points at Europe producing enough Li-ion cells to fully meet domestic demand for EVs and energy storage in four years’ time. T&E also forecasts that essential elements of the supply chain can substantially shift from China into Europe, like … [Read more...]
Can Enhanced Geothermal Systems be used as grid-scale batteries? Anywhere!
The US Department of Energy aims to cut the cost of Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) by 90% by 2035. Standard geothermal power comes from tapping existing hydrothermal reservoirs. But most places don’t have hot water reservoirs underground. EGS pumps water down to reach hot rocks, heating the water to achieve the same purpose. Everywhere has hot rocks underground. Here, Stefan Ellerbeck, writing for the World Economic Forum, describes research … [Read more...]
Lithium-ion batteries: new “gooey electrode” manufacturing process can cut costs by up to 40%
MIT spinout 24M Technologies has created a new way of producing lithium-ion batteries that can cut manufacturing costs by up to 40%, explains Zach Winn at MIT. Significantly, the new process can be applied to different lithium-ion battery chemistries, so today’s and tomorrow’s solutions should be able to use the technology. The “SemiSolid” design uses “gooey electrodes”, reducing the need for over 80% of the materials in traditional batteries, … [Read more...]
Aluminium, sulphur and salt batteries. Cheaper than lithium-ion, for homes and EV charging stations
The high and escalating demand for the lithium-ion batteries that dominate the market is driving the search for alternatives. Ideally, they will be made from inexpensive, abundant materials. David Chandler at MIT describes research there into a design that uses aluminium and sulphur as its two electrode materials, with a molten salt electrolyte in-between. The results point at batteries that have a projected cost per cell of about one-sixth that … [Read more...]
Gravity Batteries: any nation can do it at scale using rocks
The beauty of gravity batteries is that they simply involve lifting (charging) and lowering (discharging) a heavy weight, explains Simon Read writing for the World Economic Forum. For pumped hydro, access to water and a geological height difference is needed. But if you’re using rocks or bricks, anyone can do it anywhere, and at any scale. The rest is just a construction job. No rare materials or minerals will ever be needed, nor chemicals that … [Read more...]
Latest U.S. modelling shows Battery Storage can support an 80% Renewables grid by 2050
NREL’s latest Storage Futures Study concludes that battery storage should be able to support an 80% renewables grid mix in the U.S. by 2050. Madeline Geocaris at NREL explains how they modelled hundreds of future scenarios to accurately represent the value of diurnal (<12 hours) battery energy storage. The high-storage scenarios made different cost and performance assumptions for storage, wind, solar PV, and natural gas. 15 storage … [Read more...]