A group of engineers has developed a new water-based battery that could improve how homeowners store solar energy they generate from rooftop solar panels.
As Tech Xplore shared, the team from Monash University created a next-gen, high-performance "flow battery" that is cheaper than lithium-ion systems and safely and efficiently stores solar energy.
The engineers published their research findings in the Angewandte Chemie International Edition to describe how their new membrane design facilitates fast charging speeds. This membrane inside the new battery effectively guides the flow of materials, resulting in long battery life, fast charging, and excellent performance.
They believe it could be ideal for homeowners looking for a cheap, safe, and simple way to store their solar energy.
Organic flow batteries stand out in the solar energy industry because of their high-speed performance, safety, and low cost. They tested their new battery by running 600 high-current cycles and experienced essentially no capacity loss.
"This is the kind of battery you'd want in your garage. It's nontoxic, nonflammable, and made from abundant materials, all while keeping up with solar power on a sunny day," said Wanqiao Liang, one of the study's authors.
Researchers worldwide have been making incredible recent discoveries that aim to improve solar power systems and advance the clean energy transition.
Water-based battery technology has the potential to outperform traditional lithium-ion batteries. Many scientists believe it could be the key to unlocking affordable and reliable energy storage for individual homeowners and the broader grid.
Installing solar panels and improving their functionality and performance promises a cleaner, greener planet with less pollution and a healthier population.
The research team that developed this new flow battery is now 3D-printing prototypes and testing them for real-world applications.
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It predicts these batteries could be available for consumers within just a few years. The engineers are optimistic about the outcome because flow batteries have many benefits over lithium-ion batteries. For example, they have already proved cheaper to make, easier to scale, and safer to use.
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