137 Year Old Battery Tech May Be The Future of Energy Storage
Undecided with Matt Ferrell・14 minutes read
Zinc-bromine batteries offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion batteries for energy storage. Gelion's Endure battery, with its unique design and manufacturing approach, provides a durable and long-lasting solution for grid energy storage with lower operational costs.
Insights
- Zinc-bromine batteries, such as Gelion's Endure, offer a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to lithium-ion batteries, with lower operational costs and easier recycling processes, making them suitable for large-scale grid energy storage.
- Gelion's innovative manufacturing approach for zinc-bromine batteries significantly reduces costs compared to building new lithium-ion battery facilities, showcasing the potential for cost savings and scalability in energy storage solutions.
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Recent questions
What are the advantages of zinc-bromine batteries?
Zinc-bromine batteries offer advantages in depth of discharge and safety over lithium-ion batteries. They are cost-effective compared to other chemistries like vanadium and have comparable round-trip efficiency to lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are gaining traction for energy storage due to their long lifespan, durability, and ease of recycling.
How do Gelion and Redflow contribute to battery production?
Gelion and Redflow are Australian companies producing zinc-bromine batteries. Gelion's Endure battery utilizes a unique plate design with gel-based electrolytes, driving down costs and increasing efficiency. Redflow also plays a role in advancing the production of zinc-bromine batteries, contributing to the growth of this energy storage technology.
What is the lifespan of zinc-bromine batteries compared to lithium batteries?
Zinc-bromine batteries have a longer lifespan than lithium batteries, lasting about 4,500 to 5,000 cycles compared to lithium's 1,500 to 2,400 cycles. This increased durability makes zinc-bromine batteries a reliable option for long-term energy storage solutions.
How do zinc-bromine batteries address environmental concerns?
Zinc-bromine batteries offer a more environmentally friendly option compared to lithium-based batteries. The casing of Gelion's Endure battery is recyclable in a similar manner to lead-acid batteries but with more eco-friendly components. This focus on sustainability makes zinc-bromine batteries a promising choice for large-scale grid energy storage.
What are the cost advantages of zinc-bromine batteries over lithium batteries?
Zinc-bromine batteries are cost-effective compared to lithium batteries, with Gelion predicting that their battery operation costs would be 25% less than lithium batteries. The cost of systems integration for zinc-bromine batteries is considerably cheaper than lithium and vanadium, making them a competitive option for grid energy storage solutions.
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Summary
00:00
Zinc-bromine batteries: cost-effective energy storage solution
- Flow batteries have various chemistry variations, with zinc-bromine batteries being a notable contender.
- Zinc-bromine batteries have existed for 137 years and are gaining traction for energy storage.
- Lithium-ion batteries, while popular, have environmental concerns and rising costs.
- Rising lithium prices are challenging the production of energy-dense batteries.
- Gelion and Redflow are Australian companies producing zinc-bromine batteries.
- Zinc-bromine batteries are redox-flow batteries with liquid electrolytes in tanks.
- Gelion's Endure battery uses a unique plate design with gel-based electrolytes.
- Flow batteries like zinc-bromine have advantages in depth of discharge and safety over lithium-ion batteries.
- Zinc-bromine batteries are cost-effective compared to vanadium and other chemistries.
- Zinc-bromine batteries have comparable round-trip efficiency to lithium-ion batteries and can be cost-effective for grid energy storage.
10:57
Gelion's Zinc-Bromine Batteries: Cost-Effective, Durable, Sustainable
- Gelion predicted in 2021 that their battery operation costs would be 25% less than lithium batteries due to not needing air conditioning or fire-suppression systems, and not using tanks. The cost of systems integration for zinc-bromine batteries is between $10 to $18/kWh, considerably cheaper than lithium and vanadium.
- Gelion's manufacturing approach drives down costs further, with the Endure battery's manufacturing process sharing similarities with lead-acid batteries, reducing the need for a new production line. Retrofitting a lead-acid battery facility for Gelion batteries costs about $16 million, while building a new li-ion battery facility from scratch costs around $130 million.
- Zinc-bromine batteries have a longer lifespan than lithium batteries, lasting about 4,500 to 5,000 cycles compared to lithium's 1,500 to 2,400 cycles. They are also more durable, with Gelion's Endure battery being "abuse-tolerant" and able to withstand high temperatures.
- Zinc-bromine batteries are easier to recycle than lithium-based batteries, with the Endure's casing being recyclable in the same way as lead-acid batteries but with more environmentally friendly components. They are tailored for large-scale grids, long-term storage, rural areas, and extreme temperatures, not for mobile or portable uses like solid-state batteries.
