Energy Storage

Off grid electricity production can be broadly scaled in size into four categories as shown in this article.

There is a flood of new electronic and electrical devices reintroducing poisons very similar to those in tobacco smoke, diesel fumes, asbestos and other killers. There has been no tracking of what is arriving, assessing toxicity and likely prevalence. Uniquely, the new IDTechEx report, "Toxigen Materials and Alternatives in Electronics/ Electrics 2018-2028" now does just that.

Primarily, batteries deal with intermittency and inadequacy of electricity supply, the extreme case being complete lack of electricity for moving EVs

Surface irritant is a medical term describing materials that can cause directly and indirectly various pathologies. They are physical toxins and the ones of concern are mainly small structures.

Lithium-ion batteries could be under threat after the development of polymer materials that could challenge the dominance of these traditional batteries.

BMW is extremely active when it comes to battery innovation. The company has performed a screening of battery materials to achieve high performance, and is also working on second-life applications.

This event continues to grow with 400 registering at the entrance and 48 table top exhibitors including a busy IDTechEx stan

Siemens and Ballard Power Systems plan the joint development of a fuel cell drive for the Siemens Mireo train platform. Working together, the two companies intend to develop a new generation of fuel cells with an especially long lifecycle and high power density as well as improved efficiency.

Mechanical engineers have designed a super-efficient and long-lasting electrode for supercapacitors. The device's design was inspired by the structure and function of leaves on tree branches, and it is more than 10 times more efficient than other designs.

Sion Power is a US company working on the development of lithium-sulphur batteries. The company owns several patents on LICERION, a ceramic separator. BASF has invested $50M in the start-up.

Now in its fifth year, Energy Storage India Expo (ESI Expo) took place in New Delhi from the 10th to the 12th January 2018, at the India Habitat Centre. The event was organised by Customised Energy Solutions, a US-Indian company that focuses on renewable energy management and consulting in energy storage. IDTechEx analyst Lorenzo Grande was invited there to give a presentation on future battery technologies.

Cummins Inc announced the acquisition of Johnson Matthey's UK automotive battery systems business, a subsidiary of Johnson Matthey that specializes in high-voltage automotive grade battery systems for electric and hybrid vehicles.

Toshiba Corporation announced the development of its next-generation material to double the capacity of LTO battery anodes. The new battery will give a compact electric vehicle (EV) a driving range of 320km after only six minutes of fast charging.

Scientists who introduced laser-induced graphene have enhanced their technique to produce what may become a new class of edible electronics.

Comberry is a Russian start-up that is working on a solid-state supercapacitor for microdevices. The company exhibited at the IDTechEx Show Europe 2017.

Cuberg is a Californian start-up that has developed a novel battery based on a litihum metal anode and a high voltage cathode, with a solid-like electrolyte in between. The company presented its work at the IDTechEx Show USA 2017

Sodium-ion batteries might soon provide a less expensive, viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The new technology also would help solve material sustainability issues by alleviating the mining of lithium - a diminishing resource.

A team of researchers has created a new fuel cell offering both exceptional power densities and long-term stability at optimal temperatures, a discovery that heightens the viability of incorporating fuel cells into a sustainable energy future.

Nabaltec is a German company that uses boehmite as ceramic coating for Li-ion battery separators. The company presented its innovative material at the IDTechEx Show 2017

BroadBit is a technology company developing revolutionary new batteries using novel sodium-based chemistries to power the future green economy.