21 sats \ 3 replies \ @freetx 28 Jun \ parent \ on: Would your life improve if we banned all fossil fuels? econ
yeah, he's mentioned a few different physical batteries they've looked at: Gravity batteries, winding big springs, etc.
I think he thinks the most efficient is some type of thermal battery (ie. heat pumps) using molten salt. Basically you directly use solar/wind electricity to melt salts that are stored in well insulated under-ground containers. Then later you use heat to boil water to turn turbines.
Obviously, like everyone else, he thinks that once some type of highly dense solid state battery arrives, that will be game-changing moment.
Once dense solid state arrives or if ?
Solid-state batteries with ultra-high energy density are emerging as a promising solution for the future of energy storage. Recent breakthroughs have enabled the development of solid-state battery cells with record-breaking energy densities:
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Chinese startup Talent New Energy has unveiled an automotive-grade all-solid-state lithium battery prototype with a single cell capacity of 120 Ah and an energy density of 720 Wh/kg[3][5]. This is twice the energy density of Nio's semi-solid-state battery cells.
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If mass-produced, Talent's solid-state battery could enable electric vehicles to achieve a range of around 2,000 km on a single charge[3].
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The potential gains in energy density from solid-state batteries come from enabling the use of pure lithium metal anodes, which have a much higher specific capacity compared to graphite anodes in conventional lithium-ion batteries[4].
However, challenges remain in commercializing solid-state batteries, such as:
- Achieving stable interfaces between the solid electrolyte and electrodes to prevent capacity fade[1][4]
- Improving ionic conductivity of solid electrolytes, especially at lower temperatures[2]
- Reducing manufacturing costs of this innovative technology[2]
With continued research and development, solid-state batteries with ultra-high energy density could revolutionize electric mobility by enabling much longer driving ranges with lighter, more compact battery packs[1][3][5].
Sources
[1] Solid-State Batteries: The Future of Energy Storage - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/solid-state-batteries-future-energy-storage-ricky-luo
[2] Solid-state batteries: how they work https://www.flashbattery.tech/en/how-solid-state-batteries-work/
[3] Solid-state battery startup Talent New Energy unveils cell with ultra ... https://cnevpost.com/2024/04/03/talent-unveils-battery-cell-ultra-high-energy-density/
[4] Toward batteries that pack twice as much energy per pound https://news.mit.edu/2022/solid-state-batteries-interface-stability-0308
[5] Solid-state battery cell sets records, can offer over 1,300 mile range https://electrek.co/2024/04/03/new-solid-state-battery-cell-claims-industry-records-1300-mile-range/
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John Goodenough was one of the pioneers...he was based at University at Austin, TX. (died in 2023). One of the theories of why Elon was so eager to relocate to TX also involved him being able to be close to Goodenough research team....
Goodenough had an impressive track record, he won Noble prize for inventing Lithium-ion battery. He also basically invented RAM at MIT.
We shall see if any of this pans out commercially...
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My friends in the battery world have said the challenge or obstacle is the anode: graphite, silicon or lithium
Goodenough served in world war 2, greatest generation
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