What tasks do new technologies solve?
For the creation of lithium-ion technology, three scientists received
Development of batteries for electric vehicles, warehousetechnology and the space industry are happening much faster. A technological breakthrough will also occur in the mass market, but for this, mobile equipment manufacturers must choose device autonomy as a key element of added value. However, the wait will be long. The International Energy Agency estimates that lithium batteries will remain the dominant technology for the coming decades. New developments are projected to enter the market no earlier than 2025. But the foundation for future changes is being laid now; the main trends are related to fast charging technology, reducing dimensions and increasing battery life.
Startups for fast charging
Fast charging technology has three mainmoment: charge algorithms, energy parameters and conductor cross-section. If we are talking about mobile technology, then its charging does not imply a variety of connectors and cables. Type-C has become the industry standard, so charging algorithms such as Power Delivery and Quick Charge are coming to the fore.
Their main task is to ensure the transfer of morethe amount of energy through the same wire, without exceeding the permissible current strength (up to 3 A). But the device should not overheat during charging, so today they focus not only on increasing the charging voltage, but also on developing special algorithms that gradually reduce the power (as the battery restores the charge level). In addition, fast charging technology is becoming one of the points that ensure the "binding" of the consumer to the ecosystem of a particular manufacturer.
Canadian startup GBatteries is trying to solvethe task of quickly replenishing the charge using artificial intelligence. Fast charging takes place thanks to successive micro-pulses of a constantly changing current. There are smart algorithms built into the charging stations: they determine exactly when to send the next impulse and determine the voltage level so as not to harm the batteries. The technology is planned to be combined with the current generation of lithium-ion batteries. It is planned that thanks to the idea, the batteries of electric cars will be able to replenish the charge in 5-10 minutes. Canadians are developing charging stations for other equipment.
Fast charging technology offers andIsraeli startup StoreDot. Instead of modifying how the charger works, they turned to the chemistry of the battery itself. Instead of graphite, tin, germanium and silicon are used in combination with organic compounds. The battery used in the electric scooter was replenished in just five minutes. Experts are developing a phone battery that can recharge just as quickly. The startup's investors include Mercedes Daimler and Samsung. However, again, the question is in the price - initially the batteries will definitely not be cheap.
Startups Promising Super Thin Batteries
If we talk about lithium batteries, then the task ofproducing a battery with a thickness of about 1 mm is quite feasible. But if it is necessary to maintain capacity, the physical volume of the active substance in the battery must remain unchanged. The result is a slim but very wide battery. At the same time, the indicators of the energy efficiency of the device will be lower than that of its standard "counterparts".
Therefore, ultra-thin lithium batteries are in demandonly in specific areas of instrumentation. When it comes to the mass market, compact devices are always in demand. For example, in the line of external batteries of the federal distribution network Energon, the Revolter 5000 model is only 5 mm thick, and such dimensions are already perceived by consumers as a super-thin format.
Among the technologies that will savebattery capacity while shrinking - startups from Japan. For example, 3Dom (a startup that appeared in 2014 at the University of Tokyo). By 2022, the plans include the production of lithium-metal batteries, which with the same dimensions are more efficient than modern lithium-ion batteries.
Japanese technology is based on the replacement of carbonmaterials for metal lithium. Such chemistry provides higher energy density, but at the same time the risk of short circuits and fires increases.
Startups: for long life
There are many electrode materials available,providing outstanding cycling stability - for example, LTO or NMC. But due to the cost, such batteries are not available for the general consumer market. And so far there are no preconditions that the situation will change soon.
But changes are taking place - not only in the fieldchemistry of devices, but also controllers, charge management, energy efficiency of devices. Working in combination, they significantly extend the life of the batteries. Even Elon Musk, who loves bold promises, admitted that improving lithium-ion batteries is more promising, and not looking for completely new technologies.
Among the new technologies that are comingoffer to the market batteries where expensive metals are replaced by cheap and common substances. For example, the American startup Conamix promises to remove cobalt, an element mined in the Congo. The government of this republic is constantly raising the tax on raw materials. Current developments will reduce the content of this metal in electric vehicle batteries from 20% to 4%.
How batteries hinder the development of promising technologies
Unfortunately, slow progress in the fieldstorage batteries largely limits the development of related industries. Smartphones, laptops, electric vehicles are becoming more and more technologically "stuffed" and require more and more energy. For example, an active smartphone user has a battery life of 6–8 hours. Moreover, on average, a Russian opens 10-12 applications every day. In this regard, smartphone developers select energy-saving programs. Some manufacturers build applications into the firmware by default, while others leave the choice up to the user - they offer to download them. If efficient batteries become available, the possibilities for using programs will increase.
Another direction is solar energy.Most installations take up a lot of space and are expensive. It is a known fact: the lion's share of the costs of deploying solar systems is associated with the purchase of batteries that will store energy. Cheaper, more energy-efficient storage would therefore enable significantly greater adoption of green technologies.
The search for efficient energy storage occurs andin the field of solar energy. For example, researchers at Stanford University suggest an alternative - the use of biological systems. The technology involves the extraction of methane using the bacteria Methanococcus maripaludis. It is then planned to be converted into electricity thanks to the existing infrastructure.
Есть несколько причин, которые тормозят появление new, more efficient batteries. One of them is the extremely high cost of development. According to Lux Research, on average, it takes up to $40 million over eight years to keep a startup focused on finding new solutions in the field of energy storage and transportation. For example, the Japanese company New Energy & The Industrial Technology Development Organization allocated 90 million to create a new type of battery. But more often, startups have to look for funding. For example, StoreDot turned to crowdfunding and managed to attract $6.25 million in investments.
Replication of new developments will cost moremore expensive. It is estimated that about $ 500 million is required to create a new production line and solve related problems alone. Therefore, technologies that seem like miracles are not always developed quickly.
The introduction of new technologies is not quick. After all, more than 10 years have passed since the creation of stable lithium-ion batteries to the start of mass production.
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