Energy Storage

No one complained about gasoline cars going much further than you would ever drive. As people got used to them, it was realized that long-range means less hassle. With electric cars, the argument is even stronger. Long-range saves you money.

Energy storage is a key enabler for the ongoing electrification of carbon-intensive sectors, namely the automotive and energy industries. Developments in energy storage are driven by the increased uptake of EVs and the balancing of renewable electricity grids to provide power during low solar and wind periods.

World Electric Vehicle Day is here, and, as an industry analyst, it presents a great occasion to take a retrospective look at the past decade of innovation and disruption.

This article explores the history of solid-state batteries and looks ahead at regional development, sharing some of the research from the new IDTechEx report, "Solid-State and Polymer Batteries 2021-2031: Technology, Forecasts, Players".

Electraflyer has announced that it has passed crossover, meaning it now sells more battery-electric aircraft than polluting ones. Pipistrel sold over 100 battery-electric aircraft last year as they take over from its traditional offerings. Bye Aerospace does not even make conventional aircraft. With its Tesla-style approach, its order book exceeds 720 battery-electric aircraft evenly split between two and four-seaters. As the IDTechEx report, "Manned Electric Aircraft: Smart City and Regional 2021-2041" points out, this has caught Cessna, Cirrus and Piper by surprise.

Thursday 26 August 2021 - Why is even seasonal storage a new requirement? How is it that storage by compressed air, gravity and other non-battery options closely leverage mine assets for greater safety and viability? Why does next generation solar fit so well in mines? and more.

With the growing momentum behind the electric vehicle market comes an added importance of understanding the Li-ion batteries that power them, the variety of design choices available, and trends in their implementation.

Whilst IDTechEx expects EVs to continually improve in safety, there will always be the risk of a battery fire due to many potential causes. This presents an opportunity for those material suppliers making thermal interface materials (TIMs), flame-retardant materials, or fire protection materials.

Imagine mines with so much electricity production and storage that they do far more downstream processing. As reserves deplete, many will even transition to being zero-emission power stations and electricity storage for local communities and industry or even national grids. The cost of making-good becomes income from reinvention. That is the untold story of mining electrification, beyond the vital safety, greening, and cost reduction of electrics.

China's electric two-wheeler market is the largest electric vehicle market in the world. Some 29.66 million were produced in 2020 (with sales typically at over 98% of production). Today, however, the market is no longer seeing the explosive growth of the past, the IDTechEx report "Electric Two-wheelers 2021-2041" finds.