He lithium It could become a simple memory with the advent of more efficient, safer and cheaper energy. Denmark has already set a precedent by moving away from lithium and trying its luck with brick batteries, but now a new era for the sector is approaching. Given the expansion of renewable energy sources, the excess energy generated requires storage and storage mineral blank has long been seen as an ally. Now, however, more and more alternatives are appearing that leave it aside.
It should be noted that the lithium It is a chemical element and a light metal that is silvery white in color, soft and highly reactive. It has several applications, such as the production of aluminum alloys, the production of ceramic glass and the production of batteries (an extremely relevant fact given the current context). The batteries of it is material They have become extremely popular due to their high density and long life cycle.
However, they also have disadvantages, such as higher costs (they are more expensive to produce than other batteries), there is a potential risk of fire and explosions with batteries. lithium (especially in the case of overloading or exposure to high temperatures), storage and transportation problems and the negative environmental impacts generated by both their production and disposal.
They find the ‘perfect’ replacement for lithium: efficient, safe and cheaper energy
An alternative to mineral blank is starting to attract attention because of its duration: the vanadium batteries. Commercially, it could become a strong rival. In fact, the Australian company VSUN energy is already investing in an energy storage system vanadium flow battery (VFB).
The initiative Lumina Phase 2 has started with commercialization BESS VFB with a capacity of 100 MW. This system has the capacity to store and release energy for 4 or 8 hours and is ready for commercial use. The Australian company’s goal was to develop a battery with a lifespan of more than 40 years, surpassing conventional VFB systems by ten years.
To achieve its goal, the company used vanadium oxide and a direct extraction approach. The Australian company’s strategy is based on the fact that production must be in-house and that they must guarantee control over the process, from the extraction of the material to the system. BESS (Battery Energy Storage System).
Both vanadium and lithium batteries have different properties, but they also have the similarity that both can be recycled. The vanadium flow batteries They can have more than 10,000 life cycles compared to lithium, which doesn’t reach that number. But on the other hand: the VFB They are more resistant to overheating and are non-flammable, making them safer.
White gold is at risk due to the emergence of a more efficient and safer material
Las power batteries They are also considered more reliable and safer than lithium-ion parts for several reasons, including their high resistance to fire. In a press release, the parent company of the aforementioned company says: Australian Vanadium Ltd (AVL)states that the research was conducted by VSUN energy reveals that an energy storage system with vanadium flow battery (BESS) of 100 MW and a duration of 4 hours can yield a levelized storage cost (LCOS) of approximately A$274/MWh.
In this way the mineral blank could succumb to a more efficient, safer and cheaper material. Another alternative that is already being discussed is the vegetable battery that the cars of the future will use. It is produced by forests and they claim it is better than lithium.