Greetings to all you solar enthusiasts! It’s time for another fascinating dive into the world of solar energy and staying abreast of the most exciting developments in the field. Today, we’re discussing a game-changing development in solar batteries that could revolutionize how solar companies offer solutions to their customers.
This breakthrough comes from a California-based tech breakthrough, where the use of a new battery technology in solar applications could redefine solar storage capabilities. What if I told you that double the energy density could be obtained from new-age batteries compared to the traditional lithium-ion ones? That’s right, and all thanks to graphene! This supermaterial—known for its tunability, energy density, elasticity, and lightness—is set to make waves in the solar sector, and I’m here to break it down for you.
Traditionally, solar companies have used lithium-ion batteries to store the energy generated from solar panels for your home. While these batteries are effective, one of the challenges that homeowners often face is retaining the energy generated on sunny days. However, the implications of this new technology could potentially signal a new era for solar array for home storage.
The new battery, referred to as an 800V lithium-sulfur battery, uses Lyten 3D graphene, which makes nickel, cobalt, or manganese, often used in a battery cell, obsolete. The energy density of these transformative batteries lies between 3000Wh/kg and 600Wh/kg, roughly twice as much as lithium-ion batteries (100-400Wh/kg).
Imagine the implications! Doubling the energy density could help homeowners store much more energy on sunny days, ensuring a steady supply of solar power even during cloudy or rainy periods.
Moreover, the lightweight nature of these batteries, owing to their chemistry, could mean significant savings when used in larger applications. A weight reduction of around 170kg compared to applications using lithium-ion batteries is predicted, which translates to enhanced efficiency.
But it’s not just about efficiency and energy density- there’s an essential socio-economic impact too. Through the use of graphene in place of these materials, solar company reliance on hard-to-source cobalt, a material linked with environmental degradation and human rights abuses, could be significantly reduced. Also, the supply chain benefit is significant, as the new technique reduces the resource extraction to final assembly miles from 50,000 to a mere 3000.
On top of all these benefits, it’s worth mentioning that these innovations are made domestically, and U.S made cells will be commercially available to non-EV and government consumers within the year. Aside from the energy density benefits, these batteries also offer faster charging, increased conductivity, and potentially more lightweight solutions.
Solar companies have a significant role to play in the adoption and propagation of this technology. By offering homeowners these innovative batteries as a part of a solar array for home package, they can revolutionize the solar storage industry and help customers experience the benefits of doubled energy density first hand.
In short, this is a giant leap for the solar sector! Doubling energy density, supporting domestically sourced and produced batteries, decreasing the weight, and saying goodbye to environment-degrading materials is progress in my book! I’ll be watching the sector closely to see how solar companies adapt to this technology!
Stay tuned for more exciting solar industry updates, and don’t let the sun go down on your solar knowledge. Keep shining, my fellow solar enthusiasts!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/03/11/lytens-lithium-sulfur-batteries-to-power-chryslers-halcyon-concept-car/
