The current market bases energy storage on lithium-ion technology. However, this new zinc ion battery developed by Salient Energy seriously threatens its hegemony.
Salient Energy finalizes the development of a battery that promises to revolutionize the energy market. A market that is currently dominated by lithium-ion batteries, despite the fact that these still have certain important limitations.
As indicated the startup Canadianyour new zinc ion battery is postulated as a clearly more competitive alternative to traditional lithium-ion technology, which bases its operation on the use of rare earths and expensive metals that are difficult to extract.
In contrast, the zinc battery is much cheaper, lighter and more environmentally friendly. This is mainly due to the fact that zinc is cheaper and more abundant than lithium. Besides, his water based chemistry It offers an important extra of respect for the environment and safety.
How zinc battery works
Its operating principle is the same as that of lithium batteries, since it is based on intercalation. That is, the same ion reacts at both the cathode and the anode, traveling through a liquid electrolyte.
This phenomenon is known as electrolysis, but the difference is that in zinc ion batteries the results are even better because:
- The active material is denser at the energy level (smaller size or greater lightness)
- zinc does not need a highly controlled atmosphere (higher security, no fires)
- The manufacturing process is the same than that of lithium batteries (scalability and cost reduction)
Generally speaking, we can say that zinc ion batteries offer similar power and durability to that of lithium-ion batteries, but they are more environmentally friendly and also cheaper and safer.
The future of zinc batteries
Since the advantages of these new batteries are already known, at what point is their development? According to Salient Energy, the last step to start producing these batteries in large quantities is reduce costs of production.
In 2021, Salient Energy began work on a pilot plant in Halifax, Canada, which will begin operations in the second half of 2022. Afterward, it plans to attract enough capital to build “a plant of a few hundred megawatt hours” by the end of 2024.
Currently, operating costs are excessively high, since producing each cell costs an average of 75% more than a lithium one. According to Salient Energy’s estimate, it won’t be until second half of the decade that the costs and potential of this technology are at their expected values.
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Salient Energy | Cambioenergetico.com