[Video] Alternatives to lithium batteries for energy storage
[Video] Alternatives to lithium batteries for energy storage
To reach our global goal of being net zero carbon emissions by 2050, we must solve one problem - energy storage. Thank you to Toyota for lending us the #Mirai and for sponsoring this series. Scientists, researchers, and engineers are working to develop innovative ways of addressing the intermittenc...
Disclaimer: this video is sponsored by Toyota.
storage is only a problem if the global distribution grid is not created. The sun is always shining somewhere, especially if you realize we can leverage space to extend our collection.
cranes are just stupid energy storage (the F=ma bit basically makes this a non-starter) . Water in pumped storage only works out in huge scale (where you have mountains to provide a massive storage pool).
compressed air storage misses the point, use just a little more energy and you can use that energy to thermally separate CO2 from air. (This is a productive use of energy but bad efficiency for storage)
hydrogen production from water is a productive use if we want to remove hydrocarbons from some chemical processes but it is not an efficient battery.
Thermal storage of energy is very inefficient and not a good idea unless you are willing to waste a good deal of available energy.
And flywheels are not even mentioned and very wrong information about Tesla power walls.
Is a global distribution grid even possible? Isn't distance a huge problem when transporting energy?
Depends on what you mean by a huge problem.
If you are referring to energy loses due to the large distances and the electrical resistance of the wires carrying that power; you'll discover those loses are directed related to current and that you can trade current for voltage and trade voltage for current; so we can avoid losses by upping the voltage.
If you are referring to the fact that the Earth's crust is moving, we can have geologists do some work; estimate the distances spaces where we will be running our wires and put in sufficient slack to cover the time period until the next maintenance window.
If you are referring to weather event induced disruptions in the grid (wind/tornadoes/etc taking out power lines) then you build alternate paths to route around damage.
If you are referring to solar storms and coronal mass ejections, then you need standards in your equipment to deal with out of spec distribution lines.
All of which are technical problems and easy to solve.
If you are referring to the bureaucratic hellscape that is international coordination and cooperation, then yes that is the only huge problem preventing such a solution, despite its numerous global economic and environmental advantages.
Thermal storage is 100% efficient if you want heat. And with a pond or swimming pool sized reservoir and adequate alumina/silica based insulation losses are miniscule even over months. This is why production is going from effectively zero to hundreds of GWh with the factories being built now -- the second 1 Joule of surplus solar is cheaper than 1 Joule of gas, it will replace all new industrial heat (presently this is limited by distribution costs). For work, a carnot battery is definitely competitive with hydrogen.
PHES is perfectly viable almost everywhere https://re100.eng.anu.edu.au/global/ Although likely not worth building anymore as by the time it is actually needed all-abundant batteries may be cheaper.
Electrolysis (as much as it is vastly overhyped and shoe horned into spots where it is idiotic) is a decent option for rare long duration events. Probably in the form of feed stock for chemical use having a month of buffer to reduce production costs and selling that to CCGT plants for the week or so every now and again that the electricity is more valuable than ammonia or ethylene or whatever.
well no storage can be 100% efficient but you are correct that thermal storage is very efficient if you want a thermal gradient to leverage for heating (cooling as well)
I am assuming you mean Pumped-storage hydroelectricity when you say PHES and no it also falls under F=ma, but when using the terrain is able to increase the amount of mass to a more industrial useful scale. The larger the scale the smaller the losses. Hence most economical when one has mountains for the storage of the water. (metal/plastic tanks on elevated platforms tend to be much less efficient and more expensive).
I guess it depends on what you mean by rare long duration events but yes one can imagine a situation where the burning of hydrogen is justified on an energy needs basis.