Context

Indian companies are investing in new technologies related to chemical compositions of batteries for the upgradation of storage technologies. At the same time, various types of batteries based on sodium, metals like Aluminium, as well as vanadium are being explored as more efficient ways of storing energy.

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Current state of Battery Technology

Factors determining the usefulness of battery technology: There are four major factors which may disrupt the storage market:

  • Energy Density: It refers to the amount of charge per unit area.
  • Cost: The cheaper, the better.
  • Safety: It includes the health impacts, flammability and explosiveness of the battery technology.
  • Sustainability: It includes the availability of raw materials and capability to produce the battery in a sustainable manner.

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Types of Battery Technology

As of now, four types of batteries are prevalent around the world:

1. Lead Acid Batteries:

  • Lead Acid batteries have had a long history of usage in the world. They are economical in nature and are easily available in the market due to strong supply chains, which are in place.
  • Problems with Lead Acid Batteries:
    • Lead acid batteries have slowly become obsolete due to various reasons including
  • Health issues: 
    • If improperly discarded, the lead acid batteries have the capability to harm living beings due to toxic nature of lead.
    • Inhalation or ingestion of lead fumes in large quantities may result in anemia, brain damage to the extent of causing death.
  • Impact on Environment: 
    • Lead is also considered a harmful pollutant and can cause air, soil and water pollution on improper disposal.
  • Low Energy Density: 
    • Lead acid batteries are bulky in nature as they produce lesser energy per unit area (almost 50-80 Watt-hour per kg), thereby, requiring a bigger system for the production of same amount of energy, as compared to other battery systems.

2. Lithium-ion Batteries (including variants)

  • Lithium ion batteries are considered a cleaner source of energy than the lead acid batteries. In fact, a leading research firm states that lithium-ion batteries account for almost 85.6% of deployed energy storage systems in the year 2015, for which the data is available.
  • Suitable for Electric Vehicles: 
    • At the same time, they have a higher energy density (equivalent to 100-265 Watt-hour per kg) with a capability to produce more energy per unit area.
    • Therefore, they can be installed in the electric vehicles which have a requirement of compact and lighter batteries to better assist mobility.
  • Issues with Lithium-ion battery: 
    • It is expensive to produce Lithium, thereby imposing prohibitive costs on the manufacturing of Lithium-ion batteries. Also, the reserves of Lithium are localized in countries like China, Chile, Australia and Argentina.
    • Chinese Dominance: 
      • As per a report by Bloomberg-NEF, China controls 80% of global Lithium refining and 77% of global cell capacity.
      • This has led to an over-dependence of the companies on China in the field of storage systems.
  • Nickel-metal hydride: 
    • These are rechargeable batteries using nickel oxide hydroxide.
    • They have a lesser energy density than Lithium ion batteries.
  • Vanadium ion Batteries: 
    • Vanadium based batteries have a limitation of not being useful for mobility systems.
    • But it is a preferred choice in case of stationary storage, due to its safety, scalability and longer life span of 15-20 years, as compared to four-five years of Lithium-based batteries.
    • It is also available in plenty as it is naturally found in almost 65 different minerals.

Future Technology

  • Various Technologies like Vanadium redox, metal-air, metal-ion and liquid metal batteries are currently in different stages of exploration.
  • At the same time, there are other technologies in pipeline which have seen large investments

3. Sodium-ion Batteries

  • They work on the principle of flow of electrons from cathode (positively charged cathode constituted by sodium-containing layered materials) to anode (negatively charged, constituting hard carbon) in the external circuit.
  • They have seen huge investments from Indian companies like Reliance and CSIR-CECRI as well as Chinese companies like Contemporary Amperex Technologies.
  • Advantages of Sodium-ion Batteries: 
    • Unlike Lithium, which is a mere 0.01% of Earth’s crust, Sodium is abundant in nature, comprising almost 2.9% of the Earth’s crust.
    • It is found in Seawater in the form of salts as well as extractable from soda ash. US, Turkey and Botswana have abundant reserves of soda ash
    • Cost: 
      • At the same time, Sodium-ion based batteries are cheaper as the cost of extracting sodium is 20% lower than extraction of Lithium.
      • Similarly, Sodium is considered safer than Lithium, with research focused on making it safer for on-the-ground usage.
  • Challenges with Sodium-ion Batteries:
    • A major challenge associated with Sodium-ion batteries is their low energy density (140-160 Watt hour per kg).
    • This makes it unsuitable for electric vehicles, until the energy density is improved by investments in Research and Development.
  • Aluminium-air Batteries:
    • India is interested in this type of batteries as they have Aluminium as the major raw material, which is abundantly found in the form of its ore Bauxite (5th largest reserves in the world) in India.
    • Aluminium-air batteries also have an advantage of a higher energy density than Lithium.
    • However, they suffer from the limitation of not being rechargeable, therefore, requiring constant change.
  • Multi-ion Batteries:
    • They have an energy density of 170 Watt hour per kg and are cheaper than Lithium-ion batteries.
    • They also have the added advantage of faster recharge as they require hardly 15 minutes for a full charge.
    • They use negative ions like hexafluorophosphate or tetrachloroaluminate, along with positive ions like sodium, potassium and magnesium.

4. Liquid Metal Battery Technology

  • This technology has been patented by a US-based startup, Ambri, in which Reliance has invested.
  • It has a liquid calcium-alloy anode, a cathode comprising solid antimony particles and an electrolyte of molten salt.
  • It produces energy on heating to a temperature of 500 degrees Celsius.

Way Forward

  • Investments:
    • Energy storage systems are going to be in a huge requirement given the underlying shift towards cleaner energy and electric mobility.
    • Therefore, it is critical to stay ahead of the curve by investing in the Research and Development of the sector.
    • In fact, in 2021, the Government of India came up with a Production linked Incentive scheme, promoting manufacture, export and storage of lithium-ion cells, with an outlay of Rs 18,100 Crore.
  • Shift of Focus on Stationary Energy Systems:
    • At the same time, focus needs to shift from electric vehicle storage systems to stationary storage systems as they do not necessarily suffer from space constraints like the electric mobility systems.
    • Such systems may focus their research on being cost-effective, scalable and safer as they are allowed to compromise on the energy intensity.
  • Storing Renewable Energy: 
    • Stationery energy systems can harness the power of the country’s installed energy capacity in renewable energy, which is already undergoing huge expansion.
    • Solar power and wind power have a limitation of not being available round the clock and throughout the year.
    • They will get a huge boost if they can be stored and used at the time of requirement.
  • Application based Research: 
    • Many technologies which are undergoing research seem promising.
    • However, it is important to keep in mind that they are effective only when they are able to prove their effectiveness in real-life situations.
      • They also need to be compatible with the grid and must respond well to signal changes such as charge or discharge.
  • Recycling: 
    • Due to its generally hazardous nature, a comprehensive ecosystem, aimed at maximum recycling of battery systems is the need of the hour in the country.
    • Also, since the storage systems require use of Lithium and other rare-earth elements, it would be highly cost-effective to put these systems to reuse.
    • In fact, a study points out that one-third of India’s future needs can be met by recycling Lithium-based gadgets.

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Conclusion

  • Solar and wind energy hold immense potential in a tropical country like India.
    • However, there is a need to ensure that any attempt to harness renewable energy is not at the cost of loss of biodiversity in the country.
    • Innovation is required to balance the need for harnessing the renewable energy, while still maintaining the natural areas in pristine condition.
  • The need for energy storage systems would continue to grow in the coming years.
    • In such a situation, it is critical to be an early mover and seize the opportunity, which is going to dominate the upcoming future.
    • The government needs to move fast to provide funding and promote research in the new technologies to help in the progress of energy efficiency in the country.

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