These energy systems based on a new type of battery could enhance long-term energy storage through a unique mechanism.
A team of researchers from Stanford University (USA) believes that humanity can prevent the variability of renewable energy on the power grid by creating a liquid battery capable of long-term storage.
A model of a perpetual battery based on clean energy is something humanity has “yearned” for over millennia (Photo: Getty).
In a study published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the team discusses a battery made from liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHC).
The main advantage of this battery is its ability to store energy and release it effectively as fuel or electricity when needed.
To achieve this, LOHC batteries rely on converting excess energy into relatively simple structures, such as acetone or isopropanol (found in cleaning agents), which can last for a long time.
This could be the first step towards a perpetual battery model – something humanity has “longed for” throughout the ages.
“When there is excess energy, the battery system will store it as isopropanol. When you need energy, it can be returned as electricity,” said Professor Robert Waymouth, the lead researcher. This process could be the key to ending the instability and energy shortages of the power grid.
Cobaltocene crystals used as a catalyst – the “key” to creating perpetual batteries (Photo: Wikipedia).
The secret of LOHC batteries lies in using the cobalt-based additive cobaltocene alongside acetone and iridium. This chemical compound, related to cobalt, has long been used as a simple and relatively inexpensive reducing agent.
According to the research team, the use of cobaltocene will serve as a direct source of protons and electrons for the iridium catalyst instead of releasing hydrogen gas.
This effort combines a mix of accessible components to create a method for long-term, nearly perpetual energy storage that is non-toxic to the environment and living organisms.
“Using basic science to build a new strategy for selectively storing electrical energy in liquid fuels is the goal we need to pursue,” emphasized Professor Waymouth.
This expert believes that as LOHC-based systems are developed, we can make a breakthrough in energy storage for industries and clean energy on a global scale.
