Energy storage/EROI: Difference between revisions
(Created page with "==Overview== EROI = Energy Return On Investment. It's a concept often used for assessing the viability of energy sources such as solar, nuclear, etc. But I believe it also needs to be applied to energy storage. EROI = energy_returned / energy_invested <code>energy_invested</code> should include a few things: * the energy it takes to manufacture or construct the energy storage{{x|preferably including the energy needed to mine the mater...") |
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'''Importance:''' ''The lower the EROI of energy storage, the more [[energy]] we're going to need to replace [[fossil fuels]].'' | |||
==Overview== | ==Overview== | ||
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<code>energy_invested</code> should include a few things: | <code>energy_invested</code> should include a few things: | ||
* the energy it takes to manufacture or construct the energy storage{{x| | * the energy it takes to manufacture or construct the energy storage{{x|This could ''include'' the energy needed to mine the materials. Or not. It's fine either way - but any estimate should ''specify'' whether or not this is included.}} | ||
* the energy used during its operation ('''charging''') | * the energy used during its operation ('''charging''') | ||
* the energy it takes to recycle or dismantle the energy storage at its end-of-life | * the energy it takes to recycle or dismantle the energy storage at its end-of-life | ||
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An <code>EROI = 0.5</code> represents a grand total efficiency of 50%. Over the course of its lifetime, for all its usable stored energy, "only" 2x as much energy ever went into the thing. | An <code>EROI = 0.5</code> represents a grand total efficiency of 50%. Over the course of its lifetime, for all its usable stored energy, "only" 2x as much energy ever went into the thing. | ||
==Table== | ==Table== | ||
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==Other metrics== | ==Other metrics== | ||
* [[energy_storage/labor]] | * [[energy_storage/labor]] | ||
==See also== | |||
* [[Life cycle analysis]] | |||
Latest revision as of 01:03, 28 March 2023
Importance: The lower the EROI of energy storage, the more energy we're going to need to replace fossil fuels.
Overview
EROI = Energy Return On Investment.
It's a concept often used for assessing the viability of energy sources such as solar, nuclear, etc.
But I believe it also needs to be applied to energy storage.
EROI = energy_returned / energy_invested
energy_invested should include a few things:
- the energy it takes to manufacture or construct the energy storage
(...)( This could include the energy needed to mine the materials. Or not. It's fine either way - but any estimate should specify whether or not this is included. ) - the energy used during its operation (charging)
- the energy it takes to recycle or dismantle the energy storage at its end-of-life
energy_returned should include:
- the energy obtained during its operation (discharging)
For batteries with a lifespan defined by a finite number of charge/discharge cycles:
energy_invested = capacity*lifespan_cycles/charge_discharge_efficiency + energy_in_manufacturing + energy_in_recycling energy_returned = capacity*lifespan_cycles
Unlike energy sources, energy storage can never have an EROI >= 1. But we aim to bring it close to 1, or at least reach EROI >= 0.5.
An EROI = 0.5 represents a grand total efficiency of 50%. Over the course of its lifetime, for all its usable stored energy, "only" 2x as much energy ever went into the thing.
Table
We need to analyze all the main energy storage options, and put them in a table to compare their EROI.
The table should go here...