OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES FOR LARGE-SCALE ELECTRICAL ENERGY STORAGE IN ROBUST, INEXPENSIVE AND EFFICIENT RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES

摘要

Large-scale electrical energy storage systems are vital to the utilization of electricity generated from solar and wind resources, meeting fluctuating demands of electricity, and stabilization of the electricity grid. Further, there are at least 1.5 billion people worldwide who have no access to electricity whose lives can be transformed by energy storage combined with solar or wind systems. Rechargeable batteries have the advantages of efficiency, modularity and scalability needed for large-scale energy storage applications. However, the high cost, lack of sufficient robustness, and poor eco-friendliness of many rechargeable battery systems has prevented their widespread commercialization. In this presentation, we will review the techno-economic requirements placed on rechargeable batteries by the large-scale energy storage application. Specifically, we will review the resource availability, environmental impact and cost of different types of battery materials, and outline the challenges in the technology of various batteries in meeting the performance demands of the large-scale application. By choosing a battery based on an inexpensive and globally abundant material such as iron we can ensure that the materials cost and environmental impact are low. The iron electrode is also renowned as a robust electrode that can be cycled over 3000 times with minimal loss in capacity. Such a robust electrode makes the durability goal of 5000 cycles for grid-sale applications achievable. Based on the recent technical advances in efficiency and the materials cost estimates for iron-air batteries, the cost target for energy storage of $100/kWh is potentially achievable. The presentation will include an update on the progress made in the area of iron-based aqueous batteries.