The future of lithium-ion energy storage
The largest market for lithium-ion batteries has traditionally been in portable electronics, but demand for lithium-ion batteries in the transportation sector is also growing significantly. As EVs are on a path to rival conventional cars in price and range, it may only be a matter of time before most or all road transport becomes electrified -- powered by LIBs, of course. Today, it is not uncommon for electric vehicles to travel 360-450 kilometers per charge. As energy density increases, the autonomy of the car will increase, making electric vehicles more feasible.
Fast charging is another key aspect. Penn State professor Dr. Wang Chaoyang and collaborators used a special device to charge the LIB to 80 percent in 10 minutes without damaging it. "The 10-minute trend is the future and is critical for EV adoption because it addresses range anxiety," Wang said in a release.
The impact of LIB on transportation also includes aerospace applications from drones to satellites. Israeli company Eviation is working on a prototype of a fully electric plane that will be able to carry nine passengers and up to about 10 passengers. 1 000 km, 3 000 m and 440 km/h - all powered by batteries.
LIBs will also prove vital in combating climate change by providing renewable energy for vehicles and our homes. Renewable energy depends on environmental factors. The solar panels do not generate electricity at night, nor do the turbines during low winds. Currently, researchers are racing to find the optimal and most cost-effective solution to store this energy so that it can compete on price with fossil-fueled power plants.
