Zinc-air Batteries — The Breakthrough We’ve Been Awaiting?
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex0yLY6YuR4]Here’s a short interview in which I answer a few questions about zinc-air battery energy storage, a subject that’s been in front of the scientific and investment communities since the 1970s. Is this one the real deal?
Personally, I think so. There are a few unanswered questions, but I have a great deal of confidence in these people, based on my numerous meetings and phone conversations.
The thing to realize here is that there are many criteria that make a good battery for stationary purposes, and a different set that apply to portable applications, e.g., EVs. Obviously, if you’re not moving your energy storage around with you, as in utility-scale energy storage, it’s far less important how much space it takes up or how much it weighs. But cost is critical, as such a solution competes with other modes of storage, e.g., pumped hydro, and with gas peaker plants for putting energy onto the grid during times of peak load.
If you’re talking about EVs, energy density in terms of both volume and mass are of supreme importance — as are power density issues. Who cares if you have 300 miles range if it takes 2 minutes to go from 0 – 60 MPH? Here however, cost is a bit LESS important, as you’re only really trying to beat the next-best technology out there. Interesting stuff.
If you’re a clean energy investor wanting to learn more, please let me know.
Craig,
I’m more skeptical because I happen to work in this field.
I expressed my concerns (in your previous blog entries on the same subject) on safety because of oxygen release during charging and on specific energy (Wh/Kg). Automakers are paying a lot of attention to safety which comes before price.
Another thing is saying we have a lot of zinc and a lot of air is not a great supportive argument. Air is so variable in composition, density, temperature and humidity that performance of any metal-air battery will be affected by it. The best solution is a self-contained energy storage that does not exchange any material with the environment.
Regardless of the innovative chemistry, during discharge, zinc anode has to end up into zinc oxide which means adding 25% of the initial anode mass to the battery, on behalf of oxygen. The battery capacity is given by the mass of the anode when fully charged or first time assembled. Compared to gasoline, zinc-air powered cars would work backwards because at the end of one-charge trip the battery is significantly heavier than at the beginning of it.
Maybe the flow version of the rechargeable zinc-air battery is safer as involves only pumping electrolytes but that implies a new infrastructure of refueling stations. I have a similar concept of flow batteries but I am not so confident any more that said infrastructure will be ever built.
For EV application of batteries, I believe that solid state ones will be finally chosen.
You may be a believer in zinc-air batteries for electric transportation, as you say, but I cannot stop observing that you put a question mark in every title on this subject – which may be an indication that you have some doubts too.
Oh, I have doubts, to be sure. Especially given the history of the subject , and the points you bring up here, I think we all should be skeptical until we see the final product. Personally, I’m betting that these people have done what they claim, but I’m certainly anxious to see further proof.
Thanks Craig,
You’re consistently honest.
We are working with DC power systems in commercial buildings including distributed power storage of eg. on-building production. Have your people envisioned such application for this type of storage?
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