More reports are coming out of Massachusetts about how Worcester Polytechnic Institute engineers are improving on Thomas Edison-era science.
The team is specifically focused on iron-alkaline batteries first developed by Edison at the beginning of the 20th century, per Worcester and the BBC.
In short, the packs utilize abundant, cheap iron in an alkaline battery anode. It's a big advantage over expensive lithium-ion packs that require far more costly metals. But Edison's version wasn't very efficient and had low storage capacity, in part because of the formation of hydrogen gas during operation, all according to Worcester's summary.
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The New England experts discovered that adding the silicon-oxygen compound silicate to the electrolyte cancels gas production, resulting in better-performing batteries.
For reference, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that ions move between the anode and cathode, through a battery's electrolyte, during operation.
There are many types of packs being developed, including potassium-based ones, solid-state versions, and innovations that go heavy on sodium. The shared goal of all the researchers, working in labs around the world, is to develop the best-performing pack with the least-expensive and easiest-to-gather materials.
"The world is rapidly transitioning to renewable power, but there are shortcomings. Solar power falls at night, and wind power recedes and ascends irregularly. New technologies need to be developed that can store energy from the electrical grid when there's a surplus and deploy it when there's not enough," the Worcester experts stated.
To that end, ideas that leverage the power of water and gravity — so-called water batteries — are in the works elsewhere. Israel-based Nostromo's IceBrick uses frozen liquid to store renewable power for later use. Lithium-ion batteries, including Tesla's Megapack, are already storing grid-level power, as well.
The goal is often to reduce the impact of the "duck curve," which refers to a daily electricity demand graph with a peak in the evening. That's when, in summer, many buildings are using air conditioners as the sun goes down (and solar energy production, for example, drops off). The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that AC units account for about 19% of household energy use, per the most recent data available at the time of the analysis.
A video clip provided by Nostromo, showing the demand curve during this time frame in graph form, resembles a duck. The idea is that storage of renewable energy during the day could help meet the demand later instead of meeting that demand with fuels that release gases.
All the storage research is important, as leveraging more renewable energy reduces the production of heat-trapping air pollution. The fumes are linked by NASA to increased risks for a long list of severe weather events, including coastal flooding. Insurance premiums and coverage options are even being impacted by the weather.
A simple way to help immediately at home is to unplug unused chargers and devices. Pulling the plug on these energy vampires can save you $165 a year on your power bills while reducing air pollution.
In the meantime, the research continues at Worcester. The lab summary said the team has already charged a pack made with the silicate additive. It didn't create troublesome hydrogen gas as a byproduct. The tech is eyed for future application at "microgrids or individual solar or wind farms," per the report.
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