Major technology company stuns industry with breakthrough new energy-storage system — here’s how it works – Yahoo! Voices
Major technology company stuns industry with breakthrough new energy-storage system — here's how it works Yahoo! Voices
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A Shanghai Battery Maker Sets New Standard for Energy Storage Density
A Shanghai battery maker’s latest grid-storage power pack has garnered attention at a tech exhibition held in the city in September, according to multiple reports.
Envision Energy’s Breakthrough Battery
Envision Energy’s battery has a density of 541 kilowatt-hours per square meter, which leads the industry. The unit can pack 8 megawatt-hours of power within a standard 20-foot container. This surpasses the previous industry standard of 6 megawatt-hours.
“We made a huge jump from our previous generation products,” said an unnamed company representative. “We did this to lower the cost on the system level.”
Impressive Features
In addition to its high energy density, the power pack boasts a 96% “roundtrip” efficiency, meaning that 96% of the stored energy can be retrieved later. It also has a lifetime of almost 16,000 cycles using lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which is considered the battery science of the future.
Progress in Addressing LFP Limitations
Battery experts working on both electric vehicle (EV) packs and grid storage units are making progress in addressing the limitations of LFP batteries. Envision’s cells are made by Japan’s AESC, and the liquid-cooled unit is housed in a 20-foot storage container.
Grid Storage and Sustainable Development Goals
Grid storage plays a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by reducing heat-trapping air pollution and associated health risks. It also helps mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events.
Advancements in Home-Based Storage
Smaller versions of grid storage, such as Tesla’s Powerwall, allow homeowners to store rooftop solar energy and even deploy excess electricity back to the grid. Competition in home-based storage is also emerging, including from Ampere.StoragePro developed in Germany.
The Future of Energy
Envision Energy is optimistic about the potential of the new era of energy. “The old energy paradigm is breaking down and will be replaced by a new era of energy,” said Lei Zhang, the company’s CEO.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
- SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- SDG 13: Climate Action
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix
- SDG 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable
- SDG 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Energy density (kWh per square meter) of the battery
- “Roundtrip” efficiency of the stored energy retrieval process
- Lifetime cycles of the battery
4. Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy | 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix | Energy density (kWh per square meter) of the battery |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable | “Roundtrip” efficiency of the stored energy retrieval process |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | Lifetime cycles of the battery |
Source: yahoo.com
