Sandia researcher with lithium-ion battery designed for a hybrid car.
As part of the Department of Energy-funded FreedomCAR program, Sandia National Laboratories’ Power Sources Technology Group is researching ways to make lithium-ion batteries work longer and safer. The research could lead to these batteries being used in new hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in the next five to ten years.
“Batteries are a necessary part of hybrid electric-gasoline powered vehicles and someday, when the technology matures, will be part of hybrid electric-hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles,” says Dan Doughty, manager of Sandia’s Advanced Power Sources Research and Development Department. “Current hybrid vehicles use nickel-metal hydride batteries, but a safe lithium-ion battery will be a much better option for the hybrids.”
He notes a lithium-ion battery has four times the energy density of lead-acid batteries and two to three times the energy density of nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries. It also has the potential to be one of the lowest-cost battery systems.
And — it’s a big AND — advances in battery technology will lower costs in home-based solar and wind generation of electricity.
Solar power could be the next big deal, no doubt. The ideal scenario will be when the average, no frills, screwdriver challenged home owner can buy a solar power array that bolts somewhere on the roof and is capable of shouldering the entire electrical load of the average home. Current solar technology can’t handle the heavy electrical loads of freezers, refrigerators, HVAC units, etc. It may come to a race between solar and fusion power. This could all happen quite quickly if big oil and their government lackeys decide that the days of obscene fossil fuel profits are waning and begin investing in new cash cows. Biggest technological hurdle at the moment is figuring out just exactly how to put a solar meter on Joe Consumer’s roof.
battery power is where it is at… if we come up with a good, safe, cheap battery, our energy problems will start fading away… !
Meanwhile, battery technology really hasn’t had a “leap” forward in some time. Hopefully this will lead to something, as the AA’s are starting to look a little prehistoric.
Improving battery performance is very important if electric cars are ever going to be a viable option. However, they really are not especially important to solar power.
With solar, any excess electricity you generate during the day is “banked” by the local utility for your use at night. It’s been a while since I looked at the cost for solar, but I believe a 3 kw system would cost around $15,000. Assuming a 20-year life, the cost per kilowatt-hour is around $0.15. Something I keep in mind since my utility is now charging $0.10/kwhr.
There is a significant economic reason to support advances in battery technology, Paul. While the majority of folks — including me — live in a situation where the best possible circumstance is pushing prices down and our power companies into realistic return for “our” electricity, there is another scenario.
Around my neck of the woods, land prices escalate at a pretty good rate. It’s the single greatest factor in determining whether or not anything affordable gets built for most folks — especially 1st time home owners. The cheapest land is always off the grid. If we can make it affordable to build off the grid, a whole range of possibilities open up for folks trying to get to home ownership. That’s going to require better and cheaper batteries.
At this point, hybrids are overrated. According to Consumer reports, they get nowhere near the mileage advertised, and some comparable non-hybrids can get better mileage. The example I read was a diesel Jetta.
Having lived and worked for a spell around the folks at Consumer Reports — especially those involved with tests of sporting good and motor vehicles, I don’t think their opinions are worth the cost of a subscription.
They were a source for decent used cars — after their lame testing procedures were completed.
Having said that, CR preferred the Hondas over the VW’s — as would I. If VW hadn’t bent over for their US management and kept the diesel they use in Europe, they would have gotten much better mileage. And in practice, I’m not at all certain the average American consumer understands what’s required to maintain a small high-performance diesel.