The team has demonstrated the proton battery as a working device that can power small fans for several minutes.
Credit: RMIT University
Engineers in Melbourne are vying for pole position in the global race to make a cheap rechargeable battery for storing solar energy that does not rely on scarce natural resources.
Their latest experimental ‘proton battery’ could one day be developed to power homes, vehicles and devices – without the end-of-life environmental challenges of lithium-ion batteries. RMIT University has patented the latest developments in this technology internationally.
The battery uses a carbon electrode to store hydrogen that has been split from water, and then works as a hydrogen fuel cell to produce electricity.
The RMIT team is now embarking on a two-year research collaboration with Italian-based international automotive component supplier, Eldor Corporation, to develop and prototype this technology. RMIT has been collaborating with Eldor over the past five years on the same technology.
Lead researcher RMIT Professor John Andrews said recent design improvements to their proton battery meant it was becoming competitive as a carbon-neutral alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
“As the world shifts to intermittent renewable energy to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions, additional storage options that are efficient, cheap, safe and have secure supply chains will be in high demand,” said Andrews, from the School of Engineering.
“That’s where this proton battery – which is a very equitable and safe technology – could have real value and why we are keen to continue developing it into a viable commercial alternative.
“There are also no end-of-life environmental challenges with a proton battery, since all components and materials can be rejuvenated, reused or recycled.”
What has the RMIT team achieved with their latest battery?
The team has demonstrated the proton battery as a working device that can power several small fans and a light for several minutes.
Andrews said their latest battery’s storage capacity of 2.2 wt% hydrogen in its carbon electrode was nearly three times that of their 2018 prototype, and more than double of other reported electrochemical hydrogen storage systems.
“Our battery has an energy-per-unit mass already comparable with commercially-available lithium-ion batteries, while being much safer and better for the planet in terms of taking less resources out of the ground,” he said.
“Our battery is also potentially capable of very fast charging.
“The main resource used in our proton battery is carbon, which is abundant, available in all countries and cheap compared to the resources needed for other types of rechargeable battery such as lithium, cobalt and vanadium.”
The planet’s supply of lithium is concentrated in just a few countries, while other metals such as cobalt that go into lithium batteries are becoming increasingly scarce and costly.
The recent performance gains have been achieved by design changes that enhance electrochemical reactions in the battery.
How does the proton battery work?During charging, the proton battery splits water molecules to generate protons, which bond to a carbon electrode.
Andrews said the proton battery avoided the energy-wasting steps of storing hydrogen gas at high pressure, and then splitting these gas molecules again in fuel cells.
“When discharging, protons are released again from the carbon electrode and pass through a membrane to combine with oxygen from the air to form water – this is the reaction that generates power,” he said.
“Our proton battery has much lower losses than conventional hydrogen systems, making it directly comparable to lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy efficiency.”
What are the next steps?
“We are looking forward to developing this technology further in Melbourne and Italy, in partnership with Eldor Corporation, to produce a prototype battery with a storage capacity that meets the needs of a range of domestic and commercial applications,” Andrews said.
“The aim of this collaboration is to scale up the system from the watt to the kilowatt and ultimately to the megawatt scale.”
Original Article: Proton battery promises cheap energy storage that’s kinder to nature
More from: Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Proton battery
- Proton Motor Power Systems Plc (LSE: PPS)
Proton Motor Power Systems Plc designs, develops, manufactures, and tests fuel cells, hybrid systems and technical components. It offers uninterruptible power supply and solar battery storage ...
- Proton Motor Power Systems PLC PPS
Morningstar Quantitative Ratings for Stocks are generated using an algorithm that compares companies that are not under analyst coverage to peer companies that do receive analyst-driven ratings ...
- This new Proton Pass feature might get you to switch from your password manager
I’ve explained time and time again how crucial it is to have a service like 1Password or Proton Pass. Password managers save all your credentials securely, so you don’t have to reuse the same ...
- Proton Pass borrows one of the best features from Google’s password manager
Proton's new Pass Monitor security suite offers features like Dark Web monitoring and password health checks. Pass Monitor alerts users to weak passwords, suggests 2FA, and provides ...
- Proton VPN vs NordVPN (2024 Comparison)
Jennifer Simonson draws on two decades as a journalist covering everything from local economic developement to small business marketing. Beyond writing, she tested entrepreneurial waters by ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Solar energy storage
- Somssich: Green hydrogen essential for energy revolution
In fact, Green Hydrogen (G-H2) will be a very essential player worldwide helping to decarbonize many energy sectors that other technologies aren’t able to address. That is why I am encouraged to hear ...
- Gaskin: Community Solar powers up for energy ownership
rooftop or ground mounted solar panels, grid upgrades, and energy storage. While numerous funding options exist, like government initiatives, green bonds, private equity, and renewable energy ...
- Energy Vault to deploy 200MW battery energy storage systems in Australia
ACEN Australia secured a 20-year energy service agreement from the NSW government's renewable energy and storage auction to support the project. Energy Vault chairman and ...
- Four Keywords Shaping the New Energy Storage Industry in 2024
Amidst the pursuit of dual carbon targets, there's a heightened focus on advancing new energy storage technologies. Lithium-ion, compressed air, and ...
- Lightsource bp unveils plans for solar-plus-storage in Ireland
Lightsource bp says it plans to develop a solar-plus-storage facility in Ireland. The proposed installation will feature a 57 MW solar array and a 54 MW energy storage system on an open grassland site ...