Cutting Edge New Energy Storage Solutions

These 3 energy storage technologies can help solve the challenge of moving to 100% renewable electricity

Kerry Rippy, August 26, 2021 (The Converstion)

“…[New] energy will be the fastest-growing U.S. energy source through 2050…[Three emerging technologies could make it less] expensive to store energy…[H]igh-capacity batteries with long discharge times – up to 10 hours – could be valuable for storing solar power at night or increasing the range of electric vehicles…[U]pwards of 100 gigawatts’ worth of these batteries will likely be installed by 2050…[T]hat’s 50 times the generating capacity of Hoover Dam…One of the biggest obstacles is limited supplies of lithium and cobalt…

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Scientists are working to develop techniques for recycling lithium and cobalt batteries, and to design batteries based on other materials…[Because electrolytes in batteries often contain flammable materials, scientists] are developing solid electrolytes, which would make batteries more robust…[All-liquid designs called flow batteries allow] for super-fast charging and makes it easy to make really big batteries…[Molten salt can be heated with New Energy and stored] to heat steam and drive a generator in traditional plants…

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[To make molten salts more efficient, researchers] are working to develop new salts or other materials that can withstand temperatures as high as 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit (705 C)…[Storing a lot of energy for indefinite amounts of time] is a role for renewable fuels like hydrogen and ammonia…[Surplus New Energy would be stored in hydrogen and ammonia, which] contain more energy per pound than batteries…[It] could be used for shipping heavy loads and running heavy equipment, and for rocket fuel…[I]t is possible to make hydrogen fuel by splitting water molecules using electricity. The key challenge is optimizing the process to make it efficient and economical. The potential payoff is enormous: inexhaustible, completely renewable energy.” click here for more

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