Hello, fellow solar enthusiasts! Are you excited about the future of solar power or are you curious about how the surge in solar adoption will revolutionize the energy sector? You’ve come to the right place. Today, I’m going to enlighten you about a significant development within the solar industry – one that could transform the way we think about energy storage.
We’ve all heard about lithium-ion batteries. They’ve been the backbone of the energy storage industry for quite some time – being preferred by many solar companies for storing excess power generated by our solar panels for your home. However, they have had their fair share of challenges. Among these issues are concerns about their flammability and their contribution to an increasingly constrained lithium supply chain.
Enter Alsym Energy, a Massachusetts-based company, which recently secured $78 million in Series C funding. Now, you may ask what sets Alsym apart from other solar companies or why should solar enthusiasts pay attention to yet another solar company? Well, let’s dig into it.
Alsym Energy is developing a non-flammable, lithium-free, cobalt-free battery. What does this mean? It means that this company is pioneering a unique and innovative approach to energy storage, one that sidesteps the flammability issues plaguing conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Alsym’s battery uses a metal-oxide structure with a working ion that shuttles between anode and cathode materials, very much similar to lithium-ion batteries. The novel part is the use of a water-based electrolyte and inherently non-flammable materials in the construction. This battery is dendrite-free and immune to conditions leading to thermal runaway – the primary cause of fire in lithium batteries.
The probable uses for these batteries stretch far and wide. In addition to serving grid-scale use cases, they could be employed for charging and discharging intermittent solar and wind energy. On a micro-level, batteries like these could allow homeowners to build a more efficient, safer solar array for home use.
What we should note, though, is that Alsym’s batteries are not one-size-fits-all. According to Mukesh Chatter, CEO and co-founder of Alsym Energy, no single battery technology is ideal for every use case, proving that more options are needed to help address the challenges of a changing climate. Indeed, a diverse range of technologies will be essential as the globe moves towards a clean energy transition.
As Alsym’s first product, Alsym Green, is targeting 3.4 MWh per 40-foot container, it is clear just how revolutionary this technology could be. A non-lithium ion-based battery may be a desirable alternative in a global market where lithium supply chains are evermore competitive and constrained.
The solar industry is indeed complex, and keeping up-to-date with its advancements can sometimes feel lofty. Still, invariably, every step towards innovation brings us closer to a more sustainable, efficient, and green future. I hope today’s blog post has shed some light on the exciting developments in energy storage and how these advancements will impact solar companies and fuel our sunny future!
Until next time, remember: keep letting the sunshine in!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/04/04/non-lithium-battery-startup-nets-78-million-series-c-funding/
