Batteries are an integral part of our lifes. From TV remotes to phones, to toothbrushes, doorbells, toothbrushes to pacemakers. An for some, electric bikes, electric cars, and electricity storage. We have drawers full of spares, and the revolution is moving from powering our lifes to powering the world. In themselves they do not create electricity. A single use battery is ok, if it lasts a long time in our pacemaker, but not much use in vehicle or for electricity supply. Unlike fossil fuels, batteries are are technology. They do not capture energy or burn fuel. But when paired with a source of energy, they free us from wires, providing freedom and independence.
Batteries are the standout technology enabling build-out of renewable energy. Even the Economist has a glowing report saying they are the clean energy’s next trillion-dollar business [1]. Like solar panels invented 70 years ago, batteries have 40 years of use from consumer products to now cars and grid storage. A comment from the Economist was “Batteries have done in five years what took solar 15 years.” Fatih Birol from IEA, says “Batteries are changing the game before our eyes.” Note that IEA has a dreadful record with predicing solar rise of 25 years late and 7 times too little.
Batteries have continued their march of increasing energy density. Wrights Law states that manufacturing costs will reduce up to 15% for every doubling in production. Essentially, the more we make of an item, the better we become at doing so. Costs of batteries have declined 97% over the past 20 years and 90% in just the past 10 years and we will explore these in more detail below.
While lithium ion batteries are the mostly widely used, other battery technologies are avalable that are competitive in some applications. Numerous other battery chemistries are in R&D phase
Lithium Battery Improvements Read More »
