4 ms·
I think this will probably be a major energy sink going forward, as we've never really had to find a use for "surplus electricity" on this scale before. Moreov
by ethbro 11y ago
I think this will probably be a major energy sink going forward, as we've never really had to find a use for "surplus electricity" on this scale before.
Moreover though, I think the general class of chemical storage is likely to be another winner. Reversible reactions in liquid provide so many benefits: modest infrastructure costs (compared to anything but pumped hydro) and scalability in terms of both throughput (more reactors in parallel) and capacity (additional tank volume).
- epistasis 11y agoI agree! For example, vanadium redox flow batteries are looking pretty great for grid storage lately, with estimates of storage costs below $0.20/kWh stored. As I understand it, that's more than the daily price fluctuation in some markets. Far more cycles than lithium ion and a wider range of operating temperatures. And I think we're just skimming the surface with flow batteries (pun not intended). There's a massive amount of potential for new materials here.