Innovation in stationary electricity storage (video)

On Thursday, I attended a lecture at the ANU by Professor Donald Sadoway: “Innovation in Stationary Electricity Storage”.

Some of his insights:

● “Storage is necessary to make renewables base load.”
● “The problem is the very low price point needed to penetrate this market.”
● “If price is the problem, you have to invent to the price-point.”

● “Usually, chemists pursue the interesting chemistry & leave it to manufacturers to bring the price down by volume.”

● “Confine our chemistry to Earth-abundant elements, that’s how to make it cheap.” — e.g. aluminium (3rd most abundant element on Earth) not platinum

● “Price is everything.”
● “To make it dirt cheap, make it out of dirt — preferably local dirt.”
● “Earth-abundant elements & simple manufacturing.”

Filmed at a different event, but covering most of the same material:



More from Professor Sadoway:

http://nextbigfuture.com/2014/12/ambris-long-lasting-and-low-cost.html

http://www.donaldsadoway.com/

Wikepedia bio:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Sadoway / molten metal battery viable solution for stationary grid storage energy supplied renewables three inexpensive liquid layers electroactive components liquid metal positive electrode fused salt electrolyte liquid metal negative electrode system operates at elevated temperature maintained self-heating during charging discharging Professor Donald R Sadoway Department of Materials Science and Engineering at MIT three liquid layers low-density metal bottom high-density metal molten salt melted liquid contiguous layers insoluble stratify according to density no need membranes separators battery produces current metal alloys recharging purified Ambri liquid metal battery factory capital investment MWh technology factories electricity storage technologies active components Ambri’s cells cell tolerances millimeters not microns systems using steel racking leverage workers experience building assembling steel parts ubiquitous skill set manufacturing strategy Ambri’s Liquid Metal Batteries serve local and regional markets cells operate elevated temperature melting three layers self-segregate float different densities levels of immiscibility initial chemistry magnesium Mg antimony Sb electrodes chemistry higher voltage lower cost charged state potential energy between top metal layer bottom metal layer creates a cell voltage discharge battery cell voltage drives electrons Mg electrode delivering power external load electrons return Sb electrode internally pass through the salt alloy with Sb forming Mg-Sb alloy recharge power external source pushes electrons opposite direction pulling Mg re-depositing top layer returning system three distinct liquid layers cell design simple uses low-cost low cost materials all liquid design avoids main failure mechanisms solid components other battery technologies battery chemistry high temperatures energy lost generating heat proper insulation round trip round-trip energy efficiency exceeding 75% compares favorably pumped hydro storage compressed air storage trade-off acceptable trials new storage installed alongside renewables Pearl Harbor naval base Hawaii late 2015 Cape Cod military base timeframe cost of electricity standpoint high electricity costs high value on energy storage helpful cost competitive best economics deploying customers successful demonstration prototypes ramp up manufacturing marketing sales future developments /