cheaper battery is unveiled as a step to a carbon-free grid - battery energy storage system

Lithium-
Ion batteries have become necessary to power electric vehicles and store the energy generated by solar panels and wind turbines.
But now people are familiar with their shortcomings: they use rare minerals, are vulnerable to fires and explosions, and are expensive.
A rich, safe, and more affordable option would be well worth it.
An energy company led by California billionaire Patrick on Wednesday
Masonry has announced that it has developed a rechargeable battery running on zinc and air that can store power at a price far below the cost of lithiumion batteries.
Test of Zinc Energy
For the past six years, the storage system has helped power villages in Africa and Asia, as well as mobile towers in the United States, without any backup of utilities or power grids, Dr. Soon-Shiong said.
"It can use the power of the sun, wind and air to change and create a whole new economy," Dr. Soon-
A surgeon, a biotech entrepreneur, said in an interview in Los Angeles before the announcement. [
Read more: determine the size of the zinc air battery based on cost, environmental safety and potential. ]Dr. Soon-
Shiong and his company, NantEnergy, announced the news at a Planet Summit in New York, an event aimed at advancing the goals of the Paris climate agreement.
He developed the technology with the support of the World Bank.
Battery units can be combined with solar arrays to power villages or larger areas, creating a micro-grid systemSoon-Shiong said.
They were deployed to support 110 villages in nine countries in Asia and Africa --
Including those that rely on generators or even lack electricity, he said.
IFC is a branch of the World Bank that promotes private
Sector projects in developing countries are early investors in NantEnergy, with an acting representative on the company's board of directors.
S. Department of Energy Development Grant NantEnergy (
Previously known as fluid energy)
A total of $5 millionSoon-Shiong said.
South day energy company based in Phoenix and El Segundo, California
Starting in California and New York, the company said it is expected to expand the use of its products in telecom towers and eventually expand them to household energy storage.
In addition to that, it is expected to be used in electric vehicles, buses, trains and scooters. Dr. Soon-
He recently acquired the Los Angeles Times, a part of the Los Angeles Lakers boss. He made a lot of money from developing drugs to treat diabetes and breast cancer and selling the pharmaceutical companies he created.
His energy company said it was the first company to commercialize the use of zinc air batteries, with more than 100 patents.
It is taking orders for delivery next year and sees the potential of the $50 billion market. Dr. Soon-
Shiong said the cost of his zinc air battery has been steadily declining since the start of development.
Nantian Energy says the cost of the technology is less than $100 per kilowatt.
Some people in the energy industry think this number is low enough to transform the grid into a circular shape. the-clock carbon-free system.
Main cost of lithium-
Ion technologies vary according to scale and application.
Yogi Goswami, a well-known university professor and director of the Clean Energy Center at the University of South Florida, estimates that it is most likely to reach $300 to $400 per kilowatthour.
Engineers want to turn the dam into a huge reservoir that stores excess power from solar power plants and wind turbines that represent the energy of the future.
"This changed the rules of the game . "
Goswami, who was not involved in the effort, spoke about the progress claimed by NantEnergy.
"You have to have storage. ”Dr.
Goswami said he warned in Congressional testimony
By the end of this century, storage technology will evolve as solar and wind energy usage increases.
With the boom in fracking technology enriching natural gas, the need has been somewhat overshadowed.
"Until recently, there was no point in worrying about storage because we had cheap gas," said Mark Cooper . " Senior researcher in economic analysis, Energy and Environment Institute, Vermont Law School.
But there is a growing need for energy storage to manage the ups and downs of solar and wind energy, which sometimes forces places like California to pay other states for the purchase of the remaining power.
This demand has driven innovation and reduced costs.
"It is clear that this is when everyone is already looking for storage," said Mr. Cooper said.
"Capitalism will not solve the problem that there is no scarcity.
What we get in capitalism is a relentless reduction in costs.
"As part of a climate event in New York on Wednesday, the World Bank announced a $1 billion plan to boost battery storage deployment in the developing world, the company said, the move will unleash another $4 billion in investment.
In addition to its deployment in Asia and Africa, NantEnergy's batteries have been used to power more than 1,000 communication towers in the United States, Latin America and Southeast Asia.
Among them are the Duke Energy Center in North Carolina, which has withstood the recent Hurricane Florence and last year's Irma.
Sherif Abdelrazek, senior engineer at Duke Energy, said that because zinc air batteries do not pose a fire hazard like lithium
The ion battery is OK and it does not require an external cooling system to prevent overheating.
The success of the system means the Duke tower no longer needs to be connected to the grid, he said.
As a result, 13 acres of land in the Great Smoky Mountains used for power lines are being handed over to the National Park Administration.
Nantian Energy announced it has reached $100. per-kilowatt-
The one-hour threshold makes the device more attractive.
Said Abdelrazek.
The design of the product is simple: plastic assembly and housing, circuit board and zinc oxide, all in the package of briefcase size.
When charging the battery, the power of the solar unit is stored by converting zinc oxide into zinc and oxygen.
In the process of discharge, the system generates energy by using air zinc oxide.
A single charge of the NantEnergy battery can provide up to 72 hours of electricity, which means it can continue to cover the clouds and stormy weather brought about by Hurricane Florence, Carolina.
Dan Rachel, assistant secretary of energy for the Clinton administration, said the successful development of rechargeable zinc air batteries could be a milestone in the energy storage space.
The challenge now, he said, is how to make this battery reliable and sustainable.
"If this is true, it's an attractive feature," he said . ".
But he warned that the cost of battery per kilowatt
Hours depend on the app and scale.
The company's technology must stand up to scrutiny, he said.
"People do make claims and provide what they think is a legitimate set of data," he said . ".
"I'm always happy to hear about the storage progress, but you have to be careful.
"Batteries are not the only form of energy storage pursued by the power industry.
Other techniques include compressed air in caves and long
For pumped storage power stations.
The Los Angeles Hydro Department is proposing to turn the Hoover Dam into a giant battery to manage excess solar and wind power at a cost of $3 billion.
Linden River, a colleague.
Founder of SolarCity
Now part of Tesla, his cousin Elon Musk's company.
He recently said innovation in solar and storage technology could change the electricity market.
"In general, the orbit is solar energy to become the first
A source said.
Two years ago after the merger of the two companies, he left Tesla. Dr. Soon-
Shi Gong said he knew each other. Musk —
Native South African-
He also believes that his achievements in electric vehicles and energy storage are far-sighted.
"We are all trying to make the world a better place . "Soon-Shiong said.
Tesla's business is based on lithium
Ion technology, sir.
Musk told shareholders that the company could get the cost of lithium
Price drops to $100 per kilowatt ion batteryhour this year.
A few weeks after California's 100% carbon emissions, Nantian Energy announced
By 2045, free power will be available in the state.
Lawmakers have also approved a bill that provides about $1 billion in subsidies for residential energy storage.
"California obviously needs this breakthrough to achieve our goal," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, executive director of the California Solar and Storage Association.
"I can't be absolutely sure that's all they say, but it's exciting.
This is the kind of breakthrough we expect innovators to make.