View Single Post
Old 02-08-21, 01:46 AM   #4
jeff5may
Supreme EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: elizabethtown, ky, USA
Posts: 2,428
Thanks: 431
Thanked 619 Times in 517 Posts
Send a message via Yahoo to jeff5may
Default

Redox flow batteries have been around a long time. They work. Problem is that they have low energy density and low current density. You can run lead-acid batteries this way. Just change the acid.

The main way to get a high capacity, high current flow battery is to go big. The iron chemistries have an electrode power density around 200W/mē, and iron is pretty heavy stuff. The vanadium and lead chemistries have high enough electrode current density to make the liquid fuel a factor. The liquid fuel energy density is around 25 to 50 watt hours per liter for the common ones. If you have a spare empty warehouse or barn, that's probably enough space for all of the equipment.

Haven't paid much attention the last couple of years. Liion batteries are gaining traction, and have ample energy density for residential applications and light commercial stuff. Tesla is putting the rubber to the road and burning donuts with Liion batteries as we speak.

Dr. Musk is pretty good about furthering the state of whatever he gets involved in, and battery technology is no different. He's chasing the "million mile battery" for his cars, and is already repurposing used car battery arrays for utility-scale power grid storage. He's talking crazy as usual, this time planning on a battery "tera factory" to ramp up production of three or more lithium chemistries. His current goal is to drive at least one of them below $60/kwh. We shall see...

Last edited by jeff5may; 02-08-21 at 01:49 AM.. Reason: Spell check
jeff5may is offline   Reply With Quote