Exploring the Frontier of Battery Technology

Commentary

• Li-ion retains commanding market position within BESS
• Increased investor support and broad application use (e.g., EVs) will continue to decrease costs (~$150-$250/kWh capital costs by 2030)

Well-positioned to continue to retain share, but lacks long duration (> 6-8-hour) capabilities

Characteristics

Duration: 0.5 – 6 hrs

Cycle life: 4,000

Efficiency: 85%

Fast Response

Commentary

• Commercially available (vanadium-based and hybrid zinc-bromine) but not price-competitive
• Zinc-hybrid flow systems are intriguing for large-scale energy storage as Zinc has highest energy content due to high solubility

High potential due to increased safety and long lifecycle, but must undergo significant R&D to become commercially viable at scale

Characteristics

Duration: 4 – 8 hrs

Cycle life: 10,000

Efficiency: 70%

Fast Response

Commentary

• Before rise of Li-ion, sodium-sulfur batteries were most prevalent system
• Many vendors have pivoted to sodium-metal-halide technology or have switched completely to Li-ion

In process of being phased out – only one commercial vendor of MW-scale sodium-sulfur BESS remains today

Characteristics

Duration: 0.5 – 6 hrs

Cycle life: 4,000

Efficiency: 85%

Fast Response

Commentary

• Significant breakthroughs in making zinc batteries rechargeable has increased zinc-based products in trials (e.g., Zn-air, Zn-MnO2)
• Zn-MnO2 is in development stage for grid-scale applications

Early in development stage – yet to be proven at scale, but has some potential to be cheaper, safer replacement for Li-ion

Characteristics

Duration: 4 hrs

Cycle life: 2,000

Efficiency: 70%

Fast Response

Commentary

• Cheap, but requires 3 – 4 times as much space as Li-ion for the same amount of energy rating
• Low lifespan, low energy and power densities – best application is for backup power or limited peak shaving

Will continue to be used in niche applications with low performance requirements

Characteristics

Duration: 0.5 – 2h

Cycle life: 1,000

Efficiency: 70%

Fast Response

Commentary

• Nascent technology, not in use commercially
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) concluded that by 2050, 2-week hydrogen storage could be economical

Likely still not commercially viable in 2030, but due to innate properties, has potential to be best solution for long-duration storage

Characteristics

Duration: N/A

Cycle life: N/A

Efficiency: 35%

Moderate Response