California Lithium Battery increases energy density by 3 times and specific anode capacity by 4 times over existing LIBs

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.

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.

Rocky Mountain Institute: "158 percent bigger United States economy in 2050

but needing no oil, coal, or nuclear energy"

Germany targets 100% renewables by 2050; Denmark tops 40%; U.S. lags at 6%

Germany's electric grid is already 25% powered by renewables, while the U.S. which can boast a much greater resource of wind and solar, among other renewable sources, lags at 6%. Those hoping for a decisive, post-election win, post-Sandy stance by the U.S. administration on renewables and climate change were likely disappointed at Mr. Obama's recent press conference. At the state level, Texas has gone from negligible renewables to, on good days, feeding a quarter of its load with wind power; and California has seen a rapid drive into utility-scale solar in the last few years.

Germany, on the other hand, has committed to reach 100% renewable power by 2050 like Denmark, which continues its leadership position having topped the 40% mark. Portugal and Spain have shown rapid increase in renewables, as well, but uncertainty reigns in the current economic crisis.




Thames & Kosmos 624811 Hydropower Renewable Energy Science Kit (Google Affiliate Ad)

Water Conservation and Smart Metering

With the world-wide economic belt tightening, municipalities are looking to reduce operating costs more than ever.  An even bigger concern is the scarcity of the very substance that is the ultimate requisite for our lives: water.  Though industries like farming and energy generation need to innovate to utilize less water, municipalities already have the technology required to reduce operating costs and conserve water. 

The same way that Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)  or "smart meters" are a key component of the electrical smart grid, similar technology can be applied to other utilities like gas and water.  In the case of water metering, remote connect/disconnect switching and more accurate, hourly interval reads can provide great savings and an enhanced customer experience.  Applications can include:

• Significant reduction in truck rolls
• Automatic detection of costly and wasteful water leaks
• Conservation-encouraging customer usage and bill estimation web portals with hourly interval data

Besides water metering data itself, the water AMI communications network wireless mesh systems can also monitor other end points:

• Continuous monitoring of sensitive ecological areas (condition-based versus periodic monitoring)
• Selective End-Point Monitoring of Water Quality
• Combined water, gas, and electric metering for an even better financial and social business case
• Substation, distribution, and demand-side automation

Further value can be obtained through the develop a municipality-wide network (which can include wireless, fiber, cellular, powerline carrier and other technologies) for other municipal functions for a more complete Smart City concept. Such applications can include a municipal mobile workforce network to assist building inspectors, police, safety and other employees to exercise their duties on the go with greater ease thanks to mobile connectivity.  Citizens and visitors could benefit from a public layer of wi-fi to increase accessibility to online education, government e-services, and much more.

However, starting with a more limited scope, such as water meter automation, we see can find success cases like Kansas City.  Whenever we hear of states like Florida and Texas struggling with droughts, we see that such measures could save much-needed water as well as reduce public costs, which could help alleviate public budget shortfalls.  When it comes to financing these projects, if the cash-flow is challenging, despite a favorable business case, there are investors looking for the more predictable returns associated with resource conservation upgrades like this one. 

The Case for Deliberation: #SmartGrid starts with Smart Government, #democracy

A more reliable power system that facilitates 21st century services and reduces economical inefficiency and emissions that are harmful to health and the environment hardly seems like a divisive idea.  However, lack of consumer education, consumer distrust of certain policies or technologies and an uncertain, constantly-shifting energy policy in a highly-polarized socio-political environment are some of the dogged issues that challenge a more swift and comprehensive modernization of our aging, mostly-unchanged 18th century power model in this age of the iPhone.

Every day, energy consumers from individuals, colleges, hospitals, government and commercial-industrial facilities are wasting obscene amounts of money, when there is, in my view, a clear business and ethical case for modernization and investors ready to cash in on a secure return in face of nervous stock markets.  Why aren't more power users seizing the opportunities (see, for example, lighting)? 


Utilities implement new technology like advanced metering infrastructure as part of an overall infrastructure upgrade to improve the quality and availability of existing service and opening the doors to new options for consumers, but misinformation, confusion, and distrust prevail in a number of communities.  How can we address this situation?

We look forward to your opinion and insights. 

This set of issues can be seen, however, in a greater context.  How are communities and organizations supposed to make smarter decisions if they are mis-informed? How can a relative consensus be reached if there is little, effective conversation, in this increasingly distracted and polarized society?  Who has the time to become an expert in energy, healthcare, fiscal, foreign, environmental, and myriads of other policies?  It's difficult to understand the big issues between the daily responsibilities, email jail, sitting in traffic, constant electronic stimuli, and the few things people try to squeeze in to remain human (enjoy time with family, friends, nature, community, and creative endeavors, and oh yes, sleep).  Most people, as demonstrated by low participation level is elections, see their singular vote as relatively insignificant in the big picture.  How do we overcome this so-called "rational ignorance"?

Unfortunately, the majority of our paid, elected officials don't seem very successful in the advancement of civilization, either.  How can we have smarter cities and countries without smarter policies?  The solution is apparent: we need more educated citizens.  Education is the first thing to get cut by politicians, so no luck there.  How about the Internet and its repository of knowledge and news media from multiple perspectives, including analysis by more independent journalists.  Unfortunately, misperceptions are resilient as humans aren't typically motivated to change their views, so we have a tendency to find media and information that re-enforces our current biases and paradigms.  This problem is looking more intractable by the minute.

Deliberative Polling

The problem is not that "the masses," the "common people" are stupid, inept, or unwise.  In fact, recent experiments with a more direct form of democracy prove quite the contrary.  We do not have a shortage of intelligence.  What we lack is effective dialogue. 

It is also not enough to ask people for their "opinion."  Mere opinion polls or the common notion of internet direct democracy do not reflect the wisest answers a people can provide, because they do not reflect what people think.  People hardly think when answering polls.  Ask most people about "microgrids" and you will likely draw stares.  However, if you simply poll them about it with a yes, no, or don't know question, you will magically have strong opinions (apparently).  The most scientific and inclusive poll is rendered useless unless respondants are minimally qualified to answer.  Who gets to decide who is sufficiently lucid in a matter?

"Asked for their opinion of the [fictious "Public Affairs Act of 1975"], large percentages of the public either supported or opposed it, even though no such act was ever passed. In 1995, The Washington Post celebrated the "twentieth unanniversary" of the nonexistent act by asking respondents about its "repeal." Half the respondents were told that President Clinton wanted to repeal the act; the other half were informed that the "Republican Congress" favored its repeal. The respondents apparently used these cues to guide their answers, without recognizing the fictional character of the entire endeavor."
- Fishkin/Akerman

Enter the Deliberative Polling(R) method.  A statistically-significant and demographically and attitudinally representative sample of a population is invited to deliberate on a policy issue: how to address an aging, costly electric infrastructure?  Experts representing different opinions and relevant areas of expertise are also invited.  Deliberative Polling, developed by Dr. Fishkin from Stanford University's Center for Deliberative Democracy, engages a microcosm of society in discussion and gives them a chance to listen to and question experts.  The results have been applied toward conflict resolution, energy policy, governance, health policy and other areas from municipalities to states and even at an event at the European Parliament with representatives of 27 nations who spoke 23 different languages.

The case of Texas is particularly interesting.  A conventional fuel industry stronghold, which was 49th in the U.S. in wind energy production, became a leader in renewable energy generation, with the support of electric energy consumers.  It is an example of how decision-making and policies are more intelligent and resilient for the long-term when we help enough people to take the time from their busy lives to really learn and debate issues.

With deliberative polls, on the other hand, people actually have the chance to think and, golly, even change their mind.  It also brings people closer together because they get to see other people's points of view and it is harder to demonize people you actually get to know a little.  Northern Ireland Catholics and Protestants agreeing that their children should spend more time together.  Chinese villagers contributing to the discussion of budget priorities.  Americans agreeing on specific, smarter energy policies.  Would there have been less resistance to smart meters based on misinformation regarding RF, security, and other issues and a better understanding of why they are needed to begin with, if there had been deliberative polling activities so customers have a chance to educate themselves and reach their own conclusions and consensus?

Deliberative Polling

Stanford University Dr. Fishkin's Deliberative Polling Process

Bobby Fishkin, son of the proponent of Deliberative Polling,
takes the concept to the next level

For our lusophone readers: Dr. J. Vasconcelos, author of Democracia Pura questions
how representative is "representative democracy"?