All posts tagged: energy storage

Strategic spatial plan to transform UK energy infrastructure

Strategic spatial plan to transform UK energy infrastructure

Published by skeptic

The UK Government is accelerating its mission to become a global clean energy superpower by developing a comprehensive plan to reshape the nation’s energy infrastructure. This strategic move to optimise UK energy infrastructure is designed to fast-track the transition from fossil fuels and create a robust, sustainable energy system that benefits both the economy and the environment. Minister for Energy Michael Shanks explained: “To help drive growth and investment in our clean energy future, we need to provide investors with the long-term certainty and stability that they have been crying out for. “That’s why we need a more strategic approach to our energy system, ensuring we can quickly scale up investment in the right infrastructure where we need it to keep costs down and speed up our transition to clean power. “Delivering the country’s first-ever spatial plan will be a major milestone for our new public energy body.” Long-term stability for investors and communities To ensure the UK’s energy transition is smooth and sustainable, the newly formed National Energy System Operator (NESO) has been tasked …

Enhancing the cyclability of lithium battery cathodes

Enhancing the cyclability of lithium battery cathodes

Published by skeptic

Charge-recharge cycling of lithium-superrich iron oxide, a cost-effective and high-capacity cathode for new-generation lithium battery cathodes, can be improved by doping with readily available mineral elements. Increasing the capacity, efficiency, and sustainability of lithium batteries is a constant research effort. A major challenge is to reduce the reliance on rare and expensive resources. One approach is to use more efficient and sustainable raw materials for the battery cathodes, where key electron exchange processes occur. The researchers worked to improve the performance of cathodes based on a particular lithium-iron-oxide compound. Critical raw materials could improve battery cathodes Researchers previously reported a promising cathode material that exhibits a high capacity using iron and oxygen redox reactions. However, its development encountered problems associated with the production of oxygen during charging-recharging cycling. “We have now found that the cyclability could be significantly enhanced by doping small amounts of abundantly available elements such as aluminium, silicon, phosphorus, and sulphur into the battery cathode’s crystal structure,” explained Associate Professor Hiroaki Kobayashi. The role of covalent bonding A crucial chemical aspect of …

DOE accelerates technology deployment for US power grid

DOE accelerates technology deployment for US power grid

Published by skeptic

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has unveiled its latest plans to ramp up the deployment of advanced technologies for the US power grid. The DOE’s latest report, ‘Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Innovative Grid Deployment‘, highlights the potential of commercially available advanced solutions for the US power grid to enhance capacity, reliability, and affordability in alignment with national energy goals. The report, which marks the tenth edition of the Liftoff series, initially launched in March 2023, emphasises the immediate availability of multiple advanced grid solutions. These solutions encompass a range of technologies, from advanced conductors to dynamic line rating and energy storage. They address pressing grid challenges such as rapid demand growth and reliability concerns. Additionally, the report identifies system automation and situational awareness solutions as critical components. Jennifer Granholm, US Secretary of Energy, commented: “The majority of the nation’s transmission and distribution lines are drastically overdue for an upgrade, which is why President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is so critical to bring the grid up to date. “DOE’s new Innovative Grid Deployment Liftoff …

Bringing solid-state sodium batteries closer to practical use

Bringing solid-state sodium batteries closer to practical use

Published by skeptic

A team led by Osaka Metropolitan University Associate Professor Atsushi Sakuda and Professor Akitoshi Hayashi are developing a process that could lead to mass synthesis for solid-state sodium batteries. While lithium-ion batteries are currently the most widely used, solid-state sodium batteries are attracting attention as sodium is far more plentiful than lithium. This should make sodium batteries less expensive, and solid-state batteries are thought to be safer, but processing issues have made mass production difficult. The team’s method is helping to overcome these issues. A paper detailing the work was published in Energy Storage Materials. The potential of solid-state for energy storage With the aim of achieving sustainable development goals, solid-state sodium batteries have gained significant attention as reliable energy storage devices. Notably, substantial improvements are being made in the field of solid electrolytes, a key material in a battery. Sulphide solid electrolytes exhibit high ionic conductivity and formability, and their properties are derived from sulphide anion sublattices. With increasing demand and applications in rechargeable batteries, the synthesis of sulphide electrolytes should be simpler and …

Photoncycle targets low-cost energy storage with a clever hydrogen solution

Photoncycle targets low-cost energy storage with a clever hydrogen solution

Published by skeptic

For years, the solar energy sector has grappled with interseasonal energy storage. The ability to harness the surplus solar energy of summer months for use during the winter has remained an elusive goal, with existing solutions like batteries falling short due to prohibitive costs and limited lifespans. Hydrogen, meanwhile, despite its clean-burning properties, has been sidelined due to inefficiency and high costs. Photoncycle — a startup emerging from the depths of an accelerator in Oslo Science Park in Oslo, Norway — has been working on a solution. With a vision as bright as the summer sun, the startup claims its solid hydrogen-based technology can store energy more efficiently in an ammonia synthesis reactor. The claim is this tech does the storage more cost-effectively than any battery or liquid hydrogen solution on the market.   A schematic of how Photoncycle envisions its full system when installed at a house. Image Credits: Photoncycle “Lithium-ion batteries use costly metals. Our material is super cheap: To store 10,000 kilowatt-hours, it costs around $1,500, so it’s almost nothing. In addition, our …

Assembling safer and more durable lithium metal batteries

Assembling safer and more durable lithium metal batteries

Published by skeptic

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) can provide nearly ten times higher energy density compared to the present lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and hence are identified as one of the potential future storage systems. However, lithium metal batteries pose certain safety concerns and cannot be used for fast-charging applications. Uncontrolled dendrite formation, leading to excessive heating and battery short circuits, is one of the critical challenges of its advancement. Researchers have previously attempted to address the safety concerns in LMBs but with methods that were laboursome and money/time intensive. Now, T N Narayanan’s lab at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Hyderabad (TIFRH) has reported a simple, scalable, and cost-effective method for assembling a safer and more durable lithium metal battery. A paper detailing the research was published in the journal Small. Issues with battery longevity A porous separator membrane lies between the electrodes in a battery, keeping them apart, and is crucial to prevent a short circuit. When a lithium metal battery is used for some time, tree-like structures or whiskers called dendrites begin to form on …

Repono energy storage systems to deliver 100GWh by 2030

Repono energy storage systems to deliver 100GWh by 2030

Published by skeptic

EIT InnoEnergy has launched Repono, a pan-European energy storage systems company that aims to operate 100GWh of electricity by 2030. In a move set to transform the landscape of European energy storage, Repono aims to standardise and accelerate the deployment of large-scale energy storage systems across Europe, promising to store gigawatt hours of excess renewable electricity and mitigate the risk of power outages. Repono will apply a portfolio-based approach that can be replicated across regions, helping to level out energy prices and provide a balanced, 24/7 supply of clean electricity. Diego Pavia, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy, commented: “The debut of Repono is another proof of EIT InnoEnergy’s strong commitment to trailblaze the energy transition. “From day one, Repono will be embedded in the world’s largest sustainable energy ecosystem of 1200+ partners from industry, finance, research, and academia, have access to our 46+ investments in the energy storage sector as well as to the 800+ members of the European Battery Alliance. “These unique starting conditions will greatly de-risk Repono’s business and enable the company to quickly …

Innovative applications for vanadium flow battery technology

Innovative applications for vanadium flow battery technology

Published by skeptic

StorEn Tech explores the advantages of using vanadium redox flow batteries in telecom applications. Energy storage systems are becoming a requirement for many electrical power delivery systems. Flow battery technology has commercial advantages over other energy storage systems because of the inherent efficiencies and life cycles available that do not exist with other energy storage technologies. StorEn is developing a revolutionary suite of products that can: Economically store and supply large amounts of electricity on demand; incorporate long life, low maintenance costs; and is scalable from both a power and storage capacity perspective. StorEn’s Energy Storage System (ESS), based on a proprietary flow battery design, is particularly beneficial to renewable energy providers, power utilities and industrial end users such as telecom service providers. StorEn’s technology offers these industries the ability to cost effectively ‘inventory’ electricity on a large scale and call to service this electrical energy on demand. Unlike other battery technologies, StorEn’s ESS does not lose capacity after thousands of charge and discharge cycles. Description of StorEn’s vanadium flow battery system What is a …

Ontario’s economic growth depends on Long-Duration Energy Storage

Ontario’s economic growth depends on Long-Duration Energy Storage

Published by skeptic

Justin Rangooni, Executive Director of Energy Storage Canada, discusses Long-Duration Energy Storage, and how it is a necessity for a sustainable future that not only has the technology to create it, but the energy to power it. After years of consistency, in the next three decades, Ontario’s energy sector and its electricity grid are expected to undergo a substantial transformation, which, of course, leaves a lot of room for innovation. While all types and technologies of energy storage are seeing substantial innovation in their composition and application, long-duration energy storage (LDES) is perhaps seeing more than others because there are far fewer instances of LDES assets having been deployed or connected to major grids, apart from pumped hydro. LDES for the future Yet, long-duration storage technologies are poised to be one of the critical technologies supporting the changes to Ontario’s grid as the province, like many regions, prepares to secure two or three times its current generating capacity and meet its ambitious decarbonisation goals. Changing the blend of resources supplying energy to the province, with …

Harnessing energy from idle electric vehicles to replenish the power grid

Harnessing energy from idle electric vehicles to replenish the power grid

Published by skeptic

Researchers at the University of Waterloo are pioneering a groundbreaking solution to ease the strain on the overworked power grid in Alberta by tapping into idled electric vehicles (EVs) as mobile generators. Building upon existing vehicle-to-grid technology, which enables special chargers to redirect unused energy from EV batteries back into the power grid for storage, the researchers seek to extend this concept to fuel cell-powered trucks. Stored electricity could then be deployed to support the grid during weather-related outages or reduce demand during peak periods, offering a cleaner and more sustainable energy storage solution. Dr XiaoYu Wu, lead researcher and a professor in Waterloo’s Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, explained: “Canada’s power grids need to be upgraded. “But the price of Alberta’s power grid is much higher than other provinces. Most power is supplied by fossil fuels, which results in high carbon emissions. “The need to rapidly adjust generators to meet fluctuating demand is one of the reasons that the grid price is unstable and volatile. This creates the potential for clean energy storage …