Energy storage: Difference between revisions

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In the pursuit of green [[energy]], storage is needed for 2 reasons:
In the pursuit of green [[energy]], storage is needed for 2 reasons:
# To smooth out the intermittency of [[solar]] and [[wind]] power.
# To smooth out the intermittency of [[solar]] and [[wind]] power.
# To store energy in [[electric vehicles|electric vehicles]] without gasoline or diesel.
# To store energy in [[electric vehicles]].


==How much would be needed?==
<small>Note: This page does not include [[thermal energy storage]].</small>


==Types / Candidates==
{|class="wikitable"
!Type
!Status
|-
|[[Sodium-ion batteries]]
|Good potential / needs investment.
|-
|[[Sodium-sulfur batteries]]
|Good potential / needs investment.
|-
|[[Hydrogen gas]]
|Okay for some applications, but too lossy & platinum-intensive for others.
|-
|[[Lithium ferro phosphate batteries]]<!--(LiFePo4 or LFP)-->
|Okay if used in moderation. A bit too lithium-intensive to be a general solution.
|-
|[[Lithium-ion batteries]] <small>(NMC/NCA type)</small>
|Not scalable enough: Too [[cobalt]]-intensive.
|-
|[[Lithium-sulfur batteries]]
|Can't handle enough charge cycles.<!--
|-
|Lithium Titanate (Li4Ti5O12 or LTO)
|? -->
|-
|[[Lead-acid batteries]]
|Toxic / hazardous.
|-
!colspan=2|Stationary storage only (power grid, not vehicles)
|-
|[[Iron redox flow batteries]]
|Good potential / needs investment.
|-
|[[Compressed air energy storage|Compressed air]]
|?
|-
|[[Pumped hydro]]
|Only viable in rare geographical locations.
|-
|[[Flywheels]]
|?
|-
|[[Gravity blocks]]
|Not viable: Outrageously high environmental footprint of construction.
|-
|}
<small>For more details, read the wikipage of each energy storage type. Links are in the table.</small>
So far, sodium-based batteries seem to have the [[the great battery challenge|most hope]] of being a widespread solution - along with iron-based batteries for stationary energy storage.
<!--
==How much energy storage might be needed?==
Some quick estimates:
===Vehicles===
{{dp
{{dp
|ev.battery
|ev.battery
Line 28: Line 84:
|vehicle_energy_storage_needed
|vehicle_energy_storage_needed
}}
}}
^ This could be reduced by [[walkability]] and [[public transit]] (specifically rail).
^ This could be reduced by [[walkability]] and [[public transit]] (specifically [[trains]]).


===Other===
{{dp
{{dp
|other_energy.tfc
|other_energy.tfc
Line 37: Line 94:
}}
}}
{{dp
{{dp
|timescale
|storage_timescale
|24 hours
|24 hours
|How big the "buffer" of energy storage would have to be to be resiliant against weather fluctuations
|How big the "buffer" of energy storage would have to be to be resiliant against weather fluctuations
Line 43: Line 100:
}}
}}
{{calc
{{calc
|other_energy.tfc * timescale
|other_energy.tfc * storage_timescale
|terajoules
|terajoules
|grid_energy_storage_needed
|other_energy_storage_needed
}}
}}
^ This could be reduced by alternative heating/cooling systems for homes/buildings.
^ This could be reduced by alternative heating/cooling systems for homes/buildings.


But how much is that really? Most people aren't familiar with terajoules. Let's express it instead in terms of "gallons of gasoline equivalent energy" per person.
There are more options for this type of energy storage, because it's stationary (not moving in a vehicle).
{{dp
|world.population
|7.95 billion
}}
{{calc
|(grid_energy_storage_needed + vehicle_energy_storage_needed) / world.population
|gallons gasoline per capita
}}
 
This much energy has to be stored in some other way (not gasoline).
 
==Types==
 
===Hydrogen gas===
 
===Lithium-ion batteries===
 
===Iron-redox flow batteries===


===Flywheels===
These numbers might be reused on other wikipages to assess the large-scale viability of various types of energy storage. Don't worry if you're not familiar with <code>terajoules</code> as an [[energy/units|energy unit]].


===Compressed air===


===Gravity blocks===
TODO:
* Improve the above commented-out calculations.
* Put them in templates {{Grid energy storage}} and {{Vehicle energy storage}}
* Use the templates on the wikipage of each energy storage type.
-->
[[Category:Energy storage]]

Latest revision as of 15:57, 26 February 2024

In the pursuit of green energy, storage is needed for 2 reasons:

  1. To smooth out the intermittency of solar and wind power.
  2. To store energy in electric vehicles.

Note: This page does not include thermal energy storage.

Types / Candidates

Type Status
Sodium-ion batteries Good potential / needs investment.
Sodium-sulfur batteries Good potential / needs investment.
Hydrogen gas Okay for some applications, but too lossy & platinum-intensive for others.
Lithium ferro phosphate batteries Okay if used in moderation. A bit too lithium-intensive to be a general solution.
Lithium-ion batteries (NMC/NCA type) Not scalable enough: Too cobalt-intensive.
Lithium-sulfur batteries Can't handle enough charge cycles.
Lead-acid batteries Toxic / hazardous.
Stationary storage only (power grid, not vehicles)
Iron redox flow batteries Good potential / needs investment.
Compressed air ?
Pumped hydro Only viable in rare geographical locations.
Flywheels ?
Gravity blocks Not viable: Outrageously high environmental footprint of construction.

For more details, read the wikipage of each energy storage type. Links are in the table.

So far, sodium-based batteries seem to have the most hope of being a widespread solution - along with iron-based batteries for stationary energy storage.

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