An progressive saltwater-based circulate battery system designed to retailer inexperienced energy for weeks at a time has obtained backing from Norwegian energy big Statkraft.
Statkraft right this moment (Tuesday) introduced its partnership with Aquabattery, the Dutch start-up behind the design, on the COP28 local weather summit in Dubai.
The brand new battery might “speed up and revolutionise” lengthy period power storage (LDES), claimed Statkraft CEO Christian Rynning-Tønnesen.
“With out the correct mix of power storage within the system, we threat slowing the tempo of wind and photo voltaic rollout, and consequently the inexperienced transition.”
Giant-scale power storage methods, similar to these utilizing industry-standard lithium-ion batteries, sometimes solely maintain energy for as much as 4 hours.
However as nations signal as much as triple world renewables capability by 2030, Statkraft says that LDES – outlined as storing power for six hours or extra – can be “pivotal” in making a “sustainable and steady power system” globally to help the inexperienced transition.
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Aquabattery says it has designed its acid-base circulate battery primarily based on “reversible water dissociation.”
The battery shops electrical energy within the type of chemical power in acid, base and saltwater options, that are saved in separate tanks. Pumps flow into these fluids via an influence stack with electrodes separated by membranes. The membranes enable ion trade between electrolytes to generate electrical energy.
The ability output is dependent upon the floor space of the electrodes, whereas the storage period is dependent upon the electrolyte quantity.
Aquabattery says this makes circulate batteries “simply customisable and appropriate for long-duration functions and utility-scale deployment.”
The expertise can be piloted within the Dutch metropolis of Delft for between six to 12 months to “examine the scalability” of the expertise and its business viability, mentioned Statkraft, which is able to present monetary backing and engineering know-how.
“Partnering with Statkraft is a vital step to validate the distinctive worth proposition of Aquabattery and de-risk the path to the photo voltaic and wind technology market,” mentioned Jiajun Cen, CEO and co-founder of Aquabattery.
“Being a European local weather tech innovator means creating not solely a brand new different for Lengthy Length Power Storage, but additionally a greater different with reference to battery sustainability, security and provide chain resilience,” he mentioned.
“By utilizing two of the world’s most plentiful and low-cost supplies, desk salt and water, Aquabattery is doing simply that.”
