Weird energy storage solutions could help the grid become renewable
We all know about batteries. From disposable AAs in the TV remote control to giant installations filled with rechargeable batteries to store power for the grid, they are part of our daily lives and are well understood.
However, new energy storage technologies are on the horizon for grid storage purposes, and they are very different from the ordinary batteries we are used to. These technologies are essential to make the most of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power which are not available all the time. Let's take a look at some of these ideas and how they dramatically change what we think of as a "battery".
Iron flux batteries
Diagram showing how an iron flow battery works. Credit: ESS, Inc, YouTubeNormally the batteries we use consist of a metal or plastic casing with electrolyte inside,sandwiched between the electrodes.Usually the electrolyte will comes in a paste or gel form, and for all intents and purposes, we consider batteries to be a generally solid object, even if they're gooey inside.
Iron flow batteries work in a totally different way. They use a liquid electrolyte that is pumped into a battery as needed to generate electricity. The electrolyte consists of iron ions in solution, usually in the form of aqueous solutions such as iron chloride or iron sulfate.
Typical electrode materials are carbon for the positive and negative sides, with the battery consisting of two half-cells with a porous separator in between. When the battery is charged, iron(II) ions are oxidized in the positive half-cell, giving up electrons to become iron(III) ions. In the negative half-cell, the iron (II) ions gain electrons to become iron (0), the metallic iron plating on the negative electrode itself. When the battery is discharged into a load, these reactions reverse, with the metal on the negative electrode of the half-cell returning to solution.
We all know about batteries. From disposable AAs in the TV remote control to giant installations filled with rechargeable batteries to store power for the grid, they are part of our daily lives and are well understood.
However, new energy storage technologies are on the horizon for grid storage purposes, and they are very different from the ordinary batteries we are used to. These technologies are essential to make the most of renewable energy sources like solar and wind power which are not available all the time. Let's take a look at some of these ideas and how they dramatically change what we think of as a "battery".
Iron flux batteries Diagram showing how an iron flow battery works. Credit: ESS, Inc, YouTubeNormally the batteries we use consist of a metal or plastic casing with electrolyte inside,sandwiched between the electrodes.Usually the electrolyte will comes in a paste or gel form, and for all intents and purposes, we consider batteries to be a generally solid object, even if they're gooey inside.
Iron flow batteries work in a totally different way. They use a liquid electrolyte that is pumped into a battery as needed to generate electricity. The electrolyte consists of iron ions in solution, usually in the form of aqueous solutions such as iron chloride or iron sulfate.
Typical electrode materials are carbon for the positive and negative sides, with the battery consisting of two half-cells with a porous separator in between. When the battery is charged, iron(II) ions are oxidized in the positive half-cell, giving up electrons to become iron(III) ions. In the negative half-cell, the iron (II) ions gain electrons to become iron (0), the metallic iron plating on the negative electrode itself. When the battery is discharged into a load, these reactions reverse, with the metal on the negative electrode of the half-cell returning to solution.
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