What Role Do Batteries Play in Sustainability Solutions?
Innovations in energy storage are critical to the transition from fossil fuels to alternative sustainable energy sources. For example, energy storage is required to meet regular demands on electric grids that are powered by dynamic energy sources like wind and solar power. Improved energy storage also could transform the transportation sector so it relies more heavily on cost effective electric vehicles.
How batteries work
Batteries store chemical energy and convert it to electrical energy, which can be thought of as the flow of electrons from one place to another. In a battery, components called electrodes help to create this flow. Electrons move from one electrode, called the anode or negative electrode, to another electrode, called the cathode or positive electrode. The electrodes are separated by an electrolyte, which can be a solution or a solid.
How efficiently a battery works depends on which materials are used as electrodes and electrolytes. Lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in portable electronics and electric vehicles, typically use a metal oxide as the cathode and graphite as the anode.
Lithium-ion batteries are widely used because they are rechargeable and can store more energy within a given physical space relative to other batteries. But they pose several sustainability challenges. For example, the electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries are often flammable and can pose a safety hazard. In addition, the production of lithium-ion batteries requires raw materials that are difficult to obtain and demand extraction processes harmful to the environment and human rights.
In the two videos below, Caltech's Kimberly See, a Resnick Sustainability Institute researcher, and Julia Greer describe innovations that could make battery technology more sustainable, safer, and useful for alternative energy.
