Photo courtesy of Inlyte Energy
Battery technology is essential for a sustainable future. Energy storage is key to achieving renewable power regardless of time of day or weather conditions.
Lithium-ion batteries are the most common in technology today and are used in a wide range of applications from cell phones to electric cars. Scientists are always looking for ways to make things more efficient and last longer.
But that doesn't mean alternatives aren't being considered. Australian scientists are looking at sulfur to make batteries cheaper and more efficient, while German researchers are looking at zinc-air batteries to improve efficiency.
A Stanford University doctoral graduate is currently researching the potential of sodium metal halide batteries, which were first developed nearly 50 years ago.
Antonio Bakrig began exploring a long-forgotten technology when he tried to start an energy storage company for use on the power grid. Sodium is much easier and cheaper to obtain than lithium, so using the former can result in more efficient batteries with less environmental damage from mining.
“In the process, as I was trying to really understand what was going on in the industry around sodium metal halide batteries and why they were not growing beyond a niche battery technology, I got in touch with the following people in the UK. , we made the connection. Beta Research was involved from the beginning, back in the early 1980s,” he told TechCrunch+. “They actually developed that technology, but I didn’t know they still existed.”
His company, Inlyte Energy, has received $8 million in seed funding to research how to make sodium metal halide batteries that meet today's needs. Iron may be the key.
Bakrig believes that by optimizing the iron, he could produce batteries for $35 per kilowatt-hour, significantly cheaper than lithium-ion versions.
While the latter remains the dominant choice when it comes to electric vehicles, sodium metal halide batteries show great promise when it comes to energy storage for the power grid. It is not ideal for use in cars, as it must be kept at high temperatures to function, but cars cannot achieve this reliably.
Because solar power relies on sunlight and wind energy relies on inclement weather, storage is needed to compensate for when generation is reduced to meet demand. Cheaper battery technology would make it much easier to expand storage facilities, making renewable electricity an even more effective alternative to energy dependent on dirty sources.
According to TechChrunch+, Inlyte's first factory could be completed by 2027, which is expected to bring it closer to achieving a sustainable future.
Join our free newsletter to get weekly updates on the coolest innovations improve our lives and save our planet.
