Battery technology is critical for our modern world of portable devices and increasing demand from trends like electric vehicles and distributed energy storage, areas which can play an important role to face our aging power infrastructure and climate change. The press release below illustrates one startup that has achieved great advancements. Just as microprocessor and computer memory advances have revolutionized our society, we hope for a similar "Moore's Law" acceleration in this arena.
Los Angeles (PRWEB) October 26, 2012
California Lithium Battery, a finalist in DOE’s 2012 Start Up America’s Next Top Energy Innovator challenge, has announced the record-setting performance of its new “GEN3” silicon graphene composite anode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Independent test results in full cell LIBs indicate the new GEN3 anode material, used with advanced cathode and electrolyte materials, increases energy density by 3 times and specific anode capacity by 4 times over existing LIBs.
For eight months CalBattery has been working with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) to commercialize a novel lithium battery anode material for use with advanced cathode and electrolyte materials to achieve new levels of LIB performance. The work is showing extraordinary results. Independent full cell tests reveal unrivaled performance characteristics, with an energy density of 525WH/Kg and specific anode capacity 1,250mAh/g. In contrast, most commercial LIBs have an energy density of between 100-180WH/kg and a specific anode capacity of 325mAh/g. “This equates to more than a 300% improvement in LIB capacity and an estimated 70% reduction in lifetime cost for batteries used in consumer electronics, EVs, and grid-scale energy storage,” said CalBattery CEO Phil Roberts.
The key to this new GEN3 battery material is the use of a breakthrough Argonne silicon graphene process which stabilizes the use of silicon in a lithium battery anode. Although Silicon absorbs lithium ten times better than any other anode materials it rapidly deteriorates during charge/discharge cycles. CalBattery has worked at Argonne and other facilities over the past year to develop this new anode material to work in a full LIB cell with multiple cathode and electrolyte materials. The superior results of the development program at ANL leads the Company to believe that this advanced anode material could eventually replace conventional graphite based anode materials used in most LIBs manufactured today. This novel composite anode material is suitable for use in combination with a variety of existing and new LIB cathode and electrolyte materials that will help dramatically improve overall battery performance and lower LIB cycle cost – effectively storing electricity at a cost competitive with energy produced from fossil fuels.
CalBattery is now in the process of fast-tracking the commercialization of its GEN3 breakthrough battery anode material. Over the next two years the Company plans: (1) to produce and sell its si-graphene anode material to global battery and EV OEMs, and (2) U.S. production of a limited quantity of specialized batteries for high-end applications. “We believe that our new advanced silicon graphene anode composite material is so good in terms of specific capacity and extended cycle life that it will become a graphite anode ‘drop-in’ replacement material for anodes in most lithium ion batteries over the next 2-3 years,” said Roberts. The Company believes this transformational technology will change the way LIB power is produced, managed, and stored, especially if it can lead to LIBs being produced for under $175/kWh and directly compete with the cost of energy from fossil fueled power generation.
About CalBattery (http://www.clbattery.com)
CalBattery is a portfolio start-up company headquartered at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), which was started by The City of LA and the LA Department of Water and Power in 2011. CalBattery plans to set up silicon graphene anode material and LIB manufacturing operations in the Los Angeles area based on interest in its advanced Li-ion battery material from U.S. and international customers.
Showing posts with label distributed energy storage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label distributed energy storage. Show all posts
Friday, December 28, 2012
Monday, December 10, 2012
Dirty #Climate & Dirty Power: Global Problem with Local Solution
The latest United Nations climate conventions in Doha, Qatar and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil have served to highlight a sad truth: the world's polluting interests will continue to restrict the monumental changes and innovation that are required to have even the slightest chance of minimizing the upcoming global climate catastrophe (as avoidance appears to be now beyond reach by World Bank estimations). This powerful lobby will continue to receive more national government investments than green research. It is more apparent than ever that action to mitigate the worse effects will have to come from the community level worldwide and by harnessing the collective action of the Internet for alternative pathways of funding, research, education and collaborative action.
One of the largest sources of pollution is the energy generation sector and one of the greatest power consumer segments are commercial buildings. While there is much excitement with grid modernization such as smart metering, demand response, and distribution automation, the industry does not appear to have the funding and will to move swiftly enough to meet more aggressive climate change goals. With luckwarm leadership in the White House and its support of ramping up of national fossil fuel production despite climate science indicating the very opposite should be done; despite the political opening provided by super storm Sandy and public outcry against the Keystone XL pipeline.
A major part of addressing global warming must be leadership and cooperation among progressive communities like college campuses and entire cities around the world. They must push toward net-zero and net-positive buildings, neighborhoods, and campuses toward completely energy self-dependent cities and countries. Rather than individual residential and commercial property owners having to wait for renewable and low-emission distributed generation and net-metering policies, a cooperative, neighborhood-wide or municipality-led approach can accelerate the virtual power plant paradigm implementation.
To learn more, read Alex Stephan's book (available for purchase and for free) on how cities can lead the climate fight. I also recommend Memoori's industry white paper entitled "Why Interfacing Smart Buildings Is the Perfect Union." It predicts faster, more significant, cost-effective progress (at approximately 1% of overall smart grid budgets) with clearer benefit and hence support of end-users.
One of the largest sources of pollution is the energy generation sector and one of the greatest power consumer segments are commercial buildings. While there is much excitement with grid modernization such as smart metering, demand response, and distribution automation, the industry does not appear to have the funding and will to move swiftly enough to meet more aggressive climate change goals. With luckwarm leadership in the White House and its support of ramping up of national fossil fuel production despite climate science indicating the very opposite should be done; despite the political opening provided by super storm Sandy and public outcry against the Keystone XL pipeline.
A major part of addressing global warming must be leadership and cooperation among progressive communities like college campuses and entire cities around the world. They must push toward net-zero and net-positive buildings, neighborhoods, and campuses toward completely energy self-dependent cities and countries. Rather than individual residential and commercial property owners having to wait for renewable and low-emission distributed generation and net-metering policies, a cooperative, neighborhood-wide or municipality-led approach can accelerate the virtual power plant paradigm implementation.
To learn more, read Alex Stephan's book (available for purchase and for free) on how cities can lead the climate fight. I also recommend Memoori's industry white paper entitled "Why Interfacing Smart Buildings Is the Perfect Union." It predicts faster, more significant, cost-effective progress (at approximately 1% of overall smart grid budgets) with clearer benefit and hence support of end-users.
Rocky Mountain Institute: "158 percent bigger United States economy in 2050
but needing no oil, coal, or nuclear energy"Friday, November 16, 2012
Is the Electric Car Resurrected? MotorTrend: Tesla Model S is Car of the Year
For the first time in its 64-year history, the Motor Trend magazine award has been awarded to a non-gasoline powered vehicle. The unanymous vote confirmed that Silicone Valley's Tesla Motors Model S is first and foremost a spectacular ride: it just so happens to be fully electric.
Critics of the oil and gas industry have charged it with the murder of the electric vehicle and public transportation in the States in the 70's. Has the Detroit outsider ressurrected the EV? The Model S has a US$90,000 price tag and a waiting list, since it only makes a few hundred a year, though Tesla Motors claims to be near the mass-production turning point. Either way, “The mere fact the Tesla Model S exists at all is a testament to innovation and entrepreneurship, the very qualities that once made the American automobile industry the largest, richest, and most powerful in the world,” the magazine said. "America can still make things. Great things."
Several utilities have used stimulus grants for grid modernization for piloting electric vehicle charging technology. Thus far, the vehicles remain costly, but the possibility of eventual wide-adoption mean utilities must be prepared to handle the challenge and promise of millions of plug-in electric vehicles. The power industry hopes that electric vehicle charging can be shifted away from times of peak demand which it struggles to keep up with. In fact, the hope is that the energy storage of millions of vehicles could act as a distributed power plant for such peak times, whereby owners can be rewarded for allowing the utility to draw power from them. During off-peak times, the valleys could be filled with smart charging that spreads out the charging loads through the night, rather than all at once.
Others have envisioned battery swapping stations that can replace gasoline pumps. Imagine driving up to such a station to swap your low-charge battery for a fully-charged battery. This would require industry standards, but would be much quicker for the driver than waiting to charge up. Big data techniques could be applied to monitor battery residual life and hence cost. Additionally, such battery stations could act as distributed energy storage facilities. Storaging energy closer to where it is consumed helps to compensate for variations typical of renewable sources like wind and solar that are susceptible to moving clouds and changing windspeeds and directions.
As the industry experiments with the technology for wide-spread adoption, the paradigm shift EV-enthusiasts have been waiting for could be here. Read more on WIRED magazine as it praises the Model S and commends it for another industry first: over-the-air software updates akin to mobile phones and wireless network smart grid devices.
Critics of the oil and gas industry have charged it with the murder of the electric vehicle and public transportation in the States in the 70's. Has the Detroit outsider ressurrected the EV? The Model S has a US$90,000 price tag and a waiting list, since it only makes a few hundred a year, though Tesla Motors claims to be near the mass-production turning point. Either way, “The mere fact the Tesla Model S exists at all is a testament to innovation and entrepreneurship, the very qualities that once made the American automobile industry the largest, richest, and most powerful in the world,” the magazine said. "America can still make things. Great things."
Several utilities have used stimulus grants for grid modernization for piloting electric vehicle charging technology. Thus far, the vehicles remain costly, but the possibility of eventual wide-adoption mean utilities must be prepared to handle the challenge and promise of millions of plug-in electric vehicles. The power industry hopes that electric vehicle charging can be shifted away from times of peak demand which it struggles to keep up with. In fact, the hope is that the energy storage of millions of vehicles could act as a distributed power plant for such peak times, whereby owners can be rewarded for allowing the utility to draw power from them. During off-peak times, the valleys could be filled with smart charging that spreads out the charging loads through the night, rather than all at once.
Others have envisioned battery swapping stations that can replace gasoline pumps. Imagine driving up to such a station to swap your low-charge battery for a fully-charged battery. This would require industry standards, but would be much quicker for the driver than waiting to charge up. Big data techniques could be applied to monitor battery residual life and hence cost. Additionally, such battery stations could act as distributed energy storage facilities. Storaging energy closer to where it is consumed helps to compensate for variations typical of renewable sources like wind and solar that are susceptible to moving clouds and changing windspeeds and directions.
As the industry experiments with the technology for wide-spread adoption, the paradigm shift EV-enthusiasts have been waiting for could be here. Read more on WIRED magazine as it praises the Model S and commends it for another industry first: over-the-air software updates akin to mobile phones and wireless network smart grid devices.
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