Batteries: Up until now, the Bottleneck in Renewable Energy Storage

Batteries: Up until now, the Bottleneck in Renewable Energy Storage

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Renewable energy storage has, up until recently, been a barrier to the global transition to clean energy as a replacement for fossil fuels. As a result, solving the storage issue is now more important than ever as we look to renewable energy as a component of the anti-climate change strategy.

The solution to this barrier was to advance lagging battery technology, and lithium-ion batteries are a key component.

How Does Renewable Energy Work?

The sources of renewable energy are endlessly sustainable. The three most well-known renewable energy sources are hydroelectric, solar, and wind. However, alternative renewable energy sources, including geothermal, biomass, and utilizing ocean tidal shifts, are also excellent choices.

The fastest-growing energy source, both domestically and internationally, is renewable energy. Policy modifications, such as tax breaks, tariffs, and cost-cutting market conditions, fuel this expansion. As a result, moving to renewable energy is increasingly becoming financially advantageous for businesses and individuals.

Hydropower is the world's primary renewable energy source, mostly produced by massive hydroelectric dams. The second most often used renewable energy source, wind energy, is generated by sizable wind turbines that typically generate 2 to 5 megawatts of power. By 2050, solar energy is expected to account for 48% of all renewable energy in the US, making it the source with the fastest growth.

Why Batteries Caused a Bottleneck in Renewable Energy Storage

Some renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar, only sometimes produce electricity. As you might expect, solar panels and wind turbines can only generate electricity when there is a reasonable amount of wind. Therefore, unlocking renewable energy at scale depends on storing captured wind and solar energy when the demand exceeds the supply.

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The main way to store renewable energy is in batteries, but battery development needs to catch up to wind and solar power improvements. The industry had been using antiquated lead-acid batteries until recently. 

Unfortunately, lead-acid batteries are pricey to maintain and replace, inefficient, heavy, and poisonous. By addressing many lead-acid batteries' shortcomings, the relatively recent development of lithium batteries has created new opportunities for scaling up renewable energy storage.

Batteries for the Storage of Renewable Energy

Lead-acid and lithium-ion deep-cycle batteries are the two greatest solutions for storing renewable energy. Let's examine each of these and how lithium is assisting in creating new opportunities.

Lead-Acid

Lead-acid batteries have traditionally been the most popular for storing renewable energy. Lead plates suspended in a sulfuric acid solution make lead-acid batteries, which enable the chemical reaction that stores energy. The most popular and affordable kind of deep-cycle battery is a lead-acid battery. Unfortunately, lead-acid battery technology hasn't advanced much over time, and they have some serious flaws. Lead-acid batteries are hefty due to the internal lead plates, and the sulfuric acid solution needs to be continuously checked and refilled. Lead-acid batteries are also harmed and have a shorter lifespan when discharged to less than 50% of their capacity.

These unwanted lead-acid battery restrictions have hindered the uptake of renewable energy sources. For instance, a massive bank of heavy batteries with dangerous chemicals that need continual maintenance is required to establish an off-grid solar or wind power system. A lead-acid battery's lifespan is also normally between two and five years. As a result, you will need to dispose of your used batteries and replace them every few years.

Consumers find these problems annoying, but they must be more scalable and sustainable for commercial applications. For instance, a utility company or large enterprise would need to hire a team of employees to maintain and monitor the batteries, which would need to be replaced frequently.

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Lithium-Ion

Instead of using lead plates and sulfuric acid, lithium-ion batteries employ lithium salt to trigger a chemical process that stores energy. They are lighter, safer, more effective, and simpler to maintain than lead-acid batteries, thanks to the design and chemistry of lithium batteries. The high initial cost of lithium batteries is their only possible drawback. However, looking closely reveals that lithium battery benefits result in overall cost reductions throughout the battery.

Benefits of lithium-ion battery Use

Let's examine some benefits of employing lithium batteries for storing renewable energy.

More Effective

Lead-acid batteries are less effective than lithium batteries due to three key advantages. They have a higher useful capacity per charge, are lighter, and charge more quickly.

A lead-acid battery's life is shortened, and damage is caused if discharged below 50% of its rated capacity. On the other hand, a lithium battery can be used up to 80% of its capacity without suffering any harm. As a result, lead-acid batteries and lithium batteries have equal useful capacities per charge.

In addition to having a higher energy storage capacity, lithium batteries weigh around half as much as lead-acid batteries due to the absence of lead plates. Additionally, they can charge up to five times more quickly with the right charging controller!

More Economical

Compared to lead-acid batteries, which can be purchased for as cheap as $100, lithium batteries start at around $900. At first, the high up-front cost may appear overwhelming. But when you look closely, lithium batteries frequently result in a decrease in overall cost.

Less Maintenance

A built-in battery management system (BMS) on lithium batteries keeps track of the condition of the battery cells and ensures the battery operates within safe parameters. Your lithium batteries no longer require any maintenance, thanks to the BMS. Instead, you can put them to rest once they are fitted.

Safer

Lithium batteries are safer as a result of the integrated BMS. However, thermal runaway is one issue with batteries in general. Batteries can overheat and possibly catch fire due to thermal runaway, which happens when they become too hot and set off a series of events. When it notices harmful conditions, the internal BMS monitors the battery cells' temperature and turns them off to prevent thermal runaway.

Greater Longevity

Lead-acid batteries can withstand only a few hundred charge cycles throughout their 2–5 year lifespan. On the other hand, lithium batteries have a lifespan of more than ten years and can withstand 3,000–5,000 charge cycles. Manufacturers of lithium batteries frequently provide 10-year guarantees for their products.

What is the bottleneck that lithium-ion batteries are addressing? 

Lithium batteries are a preferred upgrade for lead-acid batteries in many applications because they require less maintenance, are more effective, and are half as heavy. In addition, they are promoting greater use of renewable energy.

Conclusion

Storage of renewable energy has long been constrained by aging battery technology. However, renewable energy is now the most advantageous choice for the environment and the economy thanks to the arrival of lithium batteries, which have redefined and increased the possibilities for energy storage.