A research
project designed to balance electrical current across banks of
advanced lead batteries supporting wind and solar systems has
been launched in Arizona,
US.
The
18-month study, by
Arizona-based Electric
Applications
Inc (EAI), is one
of a range of innovation projects backed this year by the global
research group, the Consortium for
Battery
Innovation (CBI).
It will take an
in-depth look into how balancing the electrical current across
large strings of batteries can improve cycle life, which is the
ability of a battery to continue working through numerous cycles
when it is not fully charged. Improving cycle life will also help
reduce the overall cost of the energy storage system, reducing
the need for replacement batteries, a key consideration for
utility and renewable energy
providers.
EAI’s President, Don Karner, said: “We’ve seen
a massive growth in demand for batteries for renewable energy
storage and the cost and safety of advanced lead batteries make
them the ideal choice for many applications. Our aim is to help
extend the cycle life of these battery systems by closely
managing charge and discharge of batteries at a series string
level. These are effectively new forms of battery management
systems designed specifically for lead
battery based
renewable energy systems.”
Dr Alistair
Davidson, Director of CBI, said: “This kind of research is taking
advanced lead battery technology to a new level by marrying
intelligent battery management systems with banks of battery
storage units. Lead batteries are particularly useful in
microgrids and in managing peaks and troughs in demand, such as
those experienced in renewable energy systems. The Consortium is
bringing together a range of research projects all of which
effectively aim to improve and extend the life of batteries which
are known for being cost-efficient and safe
options.”
Energy
analysts Wood Mackenzie have predicted
a thirteenfold
increase in grid-scale storage in the next six
years. Grid energy
storage stores energy in time periods where electricity is
abundant and inexpensive or when demand is low. It is then
supplied back to the electrical grid when demand is high or
electricity prices are higher, allowing a more efficient and
economical transfer of
energy.
Battery energy
storage for this purpose has been vital in the global move to
cleaner, renewable sources of energy where the intermittent
challenge of solar and wind power generation has been overcome by
storing power in batteries during these
times.
END
Notes to
editors:
About
CBI:
-
The Consortium for Battery
Innovation is the world’s only global pre-competitive research
organization funding research into lead batteries for energy
storage, motive and automotive applications. For more than 25
years, with its global membership of battery manufacturers,
industry suppliers, research institutes and universities, CBI
has delivered cutting-edge research pushing the boundaries of
innovation in lead battery technology, setting the standard for
advanced lead batteries and the next generation of energy
storage. For more information, visit our
website: www.batteryinnovation.org
