Comments on: MIT: Liquid Batteries Have Huge Potential http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/ Clean Tech News & Views: Solar Energy News. Wind Energy News. EV News. & More. Sun, 28 Dec 2014 21:40:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=4.0.1 By: Liquid metal battery inventor goes on Colbert, still manages to teach us some stuff | Grist http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-139137 Wed, 24 Oct 2012 19:18:03 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-139137 […] Sadoway, MIT materials science professor and inventor of a new liquid metal battery that could revolutionize energy storage, went on Stephen Colbert’s show last night. The […]

]]> By: Liquid Metal Battery Startup from MIT’s Don Sadoway Gets $15-Million Boost, Investments from Khosla Ventures, Bill Gates, & Total - CleanTechnica http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-122025 Fri, 25 May 2012 11:31:32 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-122025 […] written about Don Sadoway’s liquid batteries, a potential breakthrough energy storage solution that could help make renewable energy explode […]

]]> By: Drocketman2000 http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-119080 Sun, 22 Apr 2012 02:19:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-119080 This will only store DC electricity, AC is used in the poly phase electrical system. The relatively high temps needed to make it work (1,292 degrees F- 700 degrees C) is a MAJOR concern where there is a high temp diff in the environment, making heat insulation an additional cost factor. Unless it was buried underground in a concrete bunker to minimize heat loss, but then the bunker won’t be cheap at all.
Thyristors big enough to switch the 500KV DC power from the Pacific Intertie into AC like at the SCE inverter station in Sylmar, Calif. would be another additional cost to factor in. You should see the SIZE of those things!! HUUUUGE!!
In short, thumbs down on this “idea”, I just don’t see any real world advantages to it.

Drocketman

]]> By: Donald Sadowy Liquid Batteries TED Talk - CleanTechnica http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-118310 Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:55:27 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-118310 […] wrote in February about an innovative ‘liquid battery’ designed by Dr. Donald Sadowy and his research team at MIT. Sadowy’s liquid metal batteries […]

]]> By: Bob_Wallace http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-116574 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:23:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-116574 Here’s what seems to be serious competition….

Aquion batteries – sodium ion (“salt water”) batteries.

Inexpensive materials. Activated carbon anode and a sodium- and manganese-based cathode.

Operate at room temperature. No self discharge or problems in high heat conditions.

Can be 100% discharged without damage.

High tolerance to battery mismatch.

100% recyclable.

Third party testing >5,000 cycles rapid charges with no degrading. Company expects 20,000 cycles when fully developed.

Tested for two calendar years so far with no loss of performance.

Expected price around $300/kW.

@5,000 cycles = $0.06/kWh, @10,000 cycles = $0.03/kWh, @20,000 cycles = $0.015/kWh.

(Back of envelop calculations)
$0.05/kWh Wind + $0.03/kWh Storage + Overhead + 15% Loss (85% Efficient) =~ $0.10/kWh Stored Wind.

Solar is expected to fall to close to $0.06/kWh.

That makes a combination of wind, solar and stored wind/solar cheaper than new nuclear or new coal. (Or old coal if you add in externalities.) Certainly cheaper than natural gas peaking plants.

Lighter weight than lead acid batteries – cheaper shipping.

Going into production. Currently setting up factory in Pennsylvania. Expect to be manufacturing in 2013.

http://www.aquionenergy.com/applications/

Now, if the MIT solution is even better, that’s a good thing….

]]> By: Ross http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-116569 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:48:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-116569 During his TED talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sddb0Khx0yA he implies that the costs of production of the batteries will be low.

The battery uses molten Magnesium ($1.5/LB) and Antimony ($6/LB) separated by a salt electrolyte.

]]> By: Braver http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-114911 Sun, 04 Mar 2012 02:01:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-114911 I agree with the previous comment, this article doesn’t have any numbers. How could the author conclude that is an exciting new development without comparing with existing batteries? Does it store more energy per unit weight? Is it cheaper per unit of stored energy?

]]> By: Welcome to the Feel Good Future | Innovations http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-114707 Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:34:35 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-114707 […] that a guy gets a standing ovation for talking  about batteries. In fairness, though, this was one awesome battery. Even Bill Gates tweeted about it. MIT professor Donald Sadoway shared his story of how six years […]

]]> By: tsvieps http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-114239 Thu, 23 Feb 2012 09:07:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-114239 ” All three layers of the materials used are abundant and inexpensive.”

Fine, but just talk, no numbers…no indication of cost per KWH in a commercial application or time range to get there.

]]> By: Stan http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-114108 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:55:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-114108 It’s formulaic….watts to BTUs…..measured in cubic ft of the liquid.

]]> By: Peterb01 http://cleantechnica.com/2012/02/20/mit-liquid-batteries-for-utilities-could-make-renewables-competitive-and-it-is-not-lithium-ion/#comment-114094 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:07:00 +0000 http://cleantechnica.com/?p=35069#comment-114094 how much E is expended to maintain the battery at 1300F?

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