Posted by BeauHD from the safe-energy-solutions dept.
Sweden’s Enerpoly has opened the world’s first zinc-ion battery megafactory near Stockholm, aiming for a 100 MWh annual capacity by 2026. “According to Enerpoly, this megafactory will serve Europe’s needs for safe energy storage, and also utilize an all-European supply chain to boot,” reports New Atlas. From the report: If you’re wondering why Enerpoly is bothering with zinc-ion and not lithium-ion batteries, it’s because the former is a better choice for storage in several ways:
– They use a water-based electrolyte, which makes them non-flammable, and reduces the risk of fires and explosions.
– They’re less expensive, because zinc is far more abundant than lithium (which is difficult and expensive to extract), and easier to handle. They can also operate across a wider temperature range and require less maintenance, making them cheaper than lithium-ion options.
– They’re more eco-friendly for the same reason. In contrast, extracting lithium currently requires extensive mining as well as the use of massive evaporation ponds before processing even begins.
– They’re said to last a whole lot longer. According to the International Zinc Association, a nonprofit trade association which counts Enerpoly as a member, zinc-based batteries can last up to 20 years, while lithium batteries manage about 12 years.
The downside? They have a lower energy density than something like a Tesla 4680 battery, making them ideal for applications like load shifting and grid resilience.
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