The Battery – the Potential Difference for Renewable EnergyMARTIN MURPHY

RENEWABLEUK WAVE AND TIDAL CONFERENCE

23 FEBRUARY 2017

Alessandro Volta

The Battery

The Battery

Primary Alkaline battery

Disposable

Non-rechargeable

Gaston Planté

Gaston Planté was the French physicist who invented the

lead–acid battery in 1859. The lead-acid battery

eventually became the first rechargeable electric battery

marketed for commercial use.

Low energy/weight ratioLow energy/volume ratioHigh surge currentRelatively low cost

Submarine Application

Holland Submarine; c. 1900

Typical World War II U-Boat

Rechargeable (secondary cell) battery • Lead-acid• Nickel cadmium (NiCd)• Nickel–metal hydride (NiMH)• Lithium-ion

Flow battery • Passes solution over a membrane• Storage capacity is a function of volume of tanks holding

the solution

Supercapacitor • Power density 10 – 100x greater than batteries, but energydensity only 10%

• Short charge/discharge cycle rates• More charge/discharge cycles• Short term energy storage; high current ‘burst mode’

power delivery

Ultra battery • Hybrid lead-acid cell and supercapacitor• High charge and discharge levels, large numbe of cycles,

outperforms lead acid by order of magnitude• Installed at MW scale, frequency regulation and

renewables smoothing application

Lithium - ion

1991 - First commercial Li-ion battery introduced

Consumer products Electric Vehicles (EVs) Energy Storage

Developing Applications

14% learning rate

Battery production rising exponentially.Tesla, BYD, BNEF, CATL, Tianjin Battery rising to 120GWh by 2020

Caution!

Energy Storage

Battery Technology

Global transition to renewables is accelerating

Change is happening faster than expected

Those left behind are facing increased financial risks and stranded assets

The Potential Difference

Thank you !