A nonflammable battery to power a safer, decarbonized future

[OKIsItJustMe]

https://news.mit.edu/2024/alsym-nonflammable-battery-power-safer-decarbonized-future-1121

A nonflammable battery to power a safer, decarbonized future
The startup Alsym Energy, co-founded by Professor Kripa Varanasi, is hoping its batteries can link renewables with the industrial sector and beyond.
Zach Winn | MIT News
Publication Date:November 21, 2024

…

Now Alsym Energy has developed a nonflammable, nontoxic alternative to lithium-ion batteries to help renewables like wind and solar bridge the gap in a broader range of sectors. The company’s electrodes use relatively stable, abundant materials, and its electrolyte is primarily water with some nontoxic add-ons.

…

There are several advantages to Alsym’s new battery chemistry. Because the battery is inherently safer and more sustainable than lithium-ion, the company doesn’t need the same safety protections or cooling equipment, and it can pack its batteries close to each other without fear of fires or explosions. Varanasi also says the battery can be manufactured in any of today’s lithium-ion plants with minimal changes and at significantly lower operating cost.

…

Although the batteries don’t quite reach the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, Varanasi says Alsym is first among alternative chemistries at the system-level. He says 20-foot containers of Alsym’s batteries can provide 1.7 megawatt hours of electricity. The batteries can also fast-charge over four hours and can be configured to discharge over anywhere from two to 110 hours.

…

In addition to large utilities, the company is working with municipalities, generator manufacturers, and providers of behind-the-meter power for residential and commercial buildings. The company is also in discussion with a large chemical manufacturers and metal processing plants to provide energy storage system to reduce their carbon footprint, something they say was not feasible with lithium-ion batteries, due to their flammability, or with nonlithium batteries, due to their large space requirements.

https://www.alsym.com

[OAITW r.2.0]

1. Any data on density % compared with Lion Batteries of the same size?

If somewhat close, the safety advantage should outweigh the energy density drawback.

[OKIsItJustMe]

2. This definitely qualifies as "somewhat close"

https://www.alsym.com/high-performance/

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. I read that as about 30% of density of Lion. If so, I think that's a better future for storage expansion.

Cell phone designers/manufacturer's won't be happy, but costs to ship these batteries should drop considerably.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. That's not really the market they're targeting

Li-Ion will likely hold sway in cars and portable devices for some time. It’s lightweight, and offers a (relatively) high power density.

However, for grid storage (for example) this seems to have Li-Ion beat by a long shot. If you were thinking about a Tesla Powerwall, wouldn’t you rather have a slightly larger battery with less of a risk of burning down your house?

[OAITW r.2.0]

5. I have an Enphase Solar/Battery backup.

I might want to talk with the installers about this option' going forward. I go to bed at night hoping the Lion doesn't roar.