Batteries Beyond Li-ion & Supercapacitors: New Materials, New Applications

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Li-ion batteries (LIB) are the best energy storage technology for mainstream markets, but niche applications require special characteristics, like high power and/or high energy. Supercapacitors and new battery technologies can meet those challenges

Li-ion batteries (LIB) are about to overtake lead acid batteries as the most widespread battery technology in the world. However, in some cases they are still too expensive and/or their performance cannot meet stringent requirements set by some unconventional markets, like electrochemical storage systems (ESS) and aviation.

Supercapacitors, also called ultracapacitors and EDLC, are easier to manufacture and recycle than LIBs, and can deliver a higher amount of power for some special applications like start-stop systems in cars, or frequency regulation for the electrical grid. After a couple of years of stagnation the supercapacitor industry is showing renewed signs of market penetration. Supercapacitors are already competing with some specialty LIBs like the ones using LTO (lithium titanate) as anode material.

Other potentially disrupting energy storage technologies include lithium-sulphur batteries, which have the potential to enable electric airplanes and flying taxis, as well as long-range drones. Only a small number of companies is working on this technology, but the impact can be huge. In the field of ESS, a promising alternative to LIBs is represented by redox flow batteries; even though they are more expensive than LIBs in terms of $/kWh, they have a lower total cost of ownership in those markets where storage for more than 3 hours is needed. Other technologies like sodium-ion and lithium-air are also being investigated, but they are still at an early stage.

What you will learn?

All the topics mentioned above will be covered by IDTechEx analyst Dr Lorenzo Grande in this dedicated forum on supercapacitors and Beyond Li-ion batteries. The seminar will include

• an introduction to battery basics and what differentiates LIBs from supercapacitors, hybrid capacitors, and other battery technologies like lithium-sulphur and sodium-ion.
• An in-depth overview of the supercapacitor market, with interesting market applications as well as opportunities in the value chain
• A detailed analysis of lithium-sulphur batteries, with information on the market leaders and the main innovations being carried out by research institutions; a study of end user needs will complete the picture to illustrate what is still needed before commercialisation.
• A comparative study of redox flow batteries, including V/V, polysulphide, Zn/Br, Fe/Fe. A summary of the ESS market will show where redox flow batteries are a good fit, and where other technologies like LIB, supercapacitors, and aqueous batteries are more indicated
• A benchmark analysis of all the major and most promising battery technologies, with theoretical and practical properties.

Please join Dr Grande and the rest of the IDTechEx team on the 19-21 June 2018 at the Business and Technology Insight Forums Cambridge 2018 to learn more about LIBs and how your company can benefit from this booming industry.

For those attending.

• The PDF files of the presentations will be available to download from this website after the sessions are ended.

Register for the Forum

Exhibitor Opportunities

Report Package

Forum 2 / Agenda

19 June / Afternoon

Please join IDTechEx Analysts for lunch and networking from 13:00-14:00

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Register for the Forum

Timings and the agenda are subject to change