The availability of the option of having lower costs in the form of renewable technology and an increase in the demand for a clean energy system. In this regard we come across various new options that are seen to be used around the world, the smart brains have started using resources like wind, solar and tidal energy in order to generate sources of energy that are renewable and cost less compared to the other sources of energy. The use of these sources has been seen to grow exponentially with the passage of time especially in the last few years, as we see that they had been seen to be used in a great number. Moreover, this trend in the use of these sources of energy is seen to continue in the coming years as well as according to various market researches that had been conducted. We see that there had been a rise that had been observed in this industry and in the trends of the market.
Renewable sources
It is because of the inherent limitations that we often get to observe in renewable sources of energy, as we observe that a rise in this technology is bringing along the growth and development in the secondary industry as well in the form of energy storage systems that energy storage system manufacturer manufactures on the basis of the renewable sources of energy that they use. It is made possible because of the intermittent nature of a power supply that is being provided by a renewable source of energy that it can be stored in an efficient and a scalable way in order to it bring it to the use during the times when these sources of energy are not available it could be in the form the days when the wind that is not blowing, or the day when the sun is not shining, anymore. These grid operators in the form of energy storage systems could provide steady and continuous power for quite a long time. The most commonly used type of energy storage system includes batteries.
What are Batteries and How do they Work
Batteries are the power supplies for most electronic items these days. They come in many different types and shapes but can all be broken down into three main components: the anode (the positive terminal), the cathode (the negative terminal) and electrolyte or acid stuff in between.
Non-recyclable Sources
The majority of batteries are non-recyclable so try to recycle them! In disposable consumer products like flashlights, you’ll most likely see alkaline batteries. They have a much higher energy producing density than many lower voltage NiCd batteries, which means they can pack a bigger punch for the same size unit. The alkaline batteries are also made from lithium – this means they are more environmentally friendly and safer to handle than other battery chemistries. Lead acid batteries tend to be the most user-friendly with regards to charging/programming capabilities, as well as being good for solar applications due their alkaline profile.
Common example
These are known as the most common examples of the energy systems that could be commonly seen in our surroundings. However, we get to see great innovation in the industry of batteries and the technology that is being used in the battery technology. Thus, we get to see a great variation in the type of batteries that are being produced nowadays. The modern-day batteries that we get to see are improved in the terms of longevity, capacity and the factor of reliability as well as one can depend on these batteries for the need power almost everywhere. Among the various types of batteries that are being used around the world, we see that the most commonly used type of battery is the Lithium-ion battery. It is the type of battery that is widely seen be used around the world, these were first introduced in 1991 and were initially developed for consumer electronics.
What is the future of batteries?
According to Greenpeace (2012), “By 2020, more than half the world’s electronic devices and appliances will be powered by batteries. That could signal an even greater percentage for every kilometer of road on earth – making battery-powered vehicles the driving force in generating new pollution problems.” So this is not going to go away any time soon…
In addition, many energy saving technologies are emerging that can drastically shorten a household or corporate citizen’s reliance on batteries by extending the life of existing batteries. Examples include smart grid technology and renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or hydroelectric power.
Future plan
The future of batteries therefore is strongly linked to the future electrification plan for our transportation system in industrialized countries – which traditionally has focused almost exclusively on battery-powered cars but now also includes motorcycles and bicycling.
How can the global community help?
Batteries are a very important but under-exploited opportunity that is currently held back by many factors such as electric vehicle infrastructure limitations. We therefore need the support of policy makers, industry and individuals to make it possible for this technology to reach its full potential. If you are interested in contributing, getting involved or finding out more please contact us.
For the US and elsewhere where it is enabled by legislation system policies will play an important role. This can be done through laws requiring a minimum amount of renewable energy capacity to be connected (e.g. California’s law) and/or through subsidies to encourage or mandate the adoption of new energy technologies. Developing countries can also play a major role in addressing this opportunity, wherein they see it as one way out of their own economic problems. This includes examples like China which has fought for decades against using lead-acid batteries until recently providing incentives for switching to lithium ion battery technology.
