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With its high energy density, low cost and environmentally friendly characteristics, metal air batteries are gradually coming out of the trough of research and development and becoming an important breakthrough point in the field of new energy. Technological advances in zinc-air batteries and iron-air batteries are providing more possibilities for energy storage, grid stability and long-term energy demand, bringing new solutions to achieve the global energy transition.
Metal air battery out of research and development trough
Compared to traditional ion batteries, metal-air batteries have a high theoretical energy density and a lower cost. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology pointed out that the energy density of metal-air batteries can theoretically be several times higher than that of lithium-ion batteries, and the manufacturing cost of metal-air batteries can be reduced to 10% or even lower than that of lithium-ion batteries, depending on the type.
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Market Research predicts that the global metal-air battery market will grow from $466 million in 2021 to $1.173 billion by 2028.
Japan's Sharp Corporation is currently promoting zinc-air battery research and development, and plans to start a pilot production project in 2025. According to Sharp, zinc-air batteries can achieve the same energy density as lithium-ion batteries, but last twice as long, meaning that zinc-air batteries can store more energy for the same weight or volume.
Zinc has previously been used as a negative electrode material for disposable batteries such as alkaline dry batteries, but it can hardly be used for rechargeable batteries that can be repeatedly charged and discharged, because if the zinc material is repeatedly charged and discharged, the electrode part will precipitate needle-like crystals, causing short circuit. Sharp's research and development direction is to separate the charging unit and the discharge unit, even if the electrode part produces needle-like crystals, it is not easy to short-circuit.
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Sharp said that on the one hand, zinc is one of the base metals with high reserves and production, and smelting is easy, which can reduce the procurement cost of raw materials; On the other hand, the zinc-air battery generates less waste during the discharge process, the environmental burden is smaller, and the heat generated during the entire charge and discharge process is less than that of lithium-ion batteries, which is not easy to occur thermal runaway phenomenon and is safer.
The first iron-air batteries could be available this year
At the same time, US technology startup Form Energy announced that it has recently completed the latest research on iron-air battery technology and is expected to produce the first battery production within this year. Form Energy's founding team, based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, found a way to use water-based electrolytes to reverse the corrosion process. The thin plate cathode and anode made of iron powder are fixed together with the net, and the water-based electrolyte is in the middle. When discharge, the battery "inhales" oxygen in the air and reacts with the water-based electrolyte to convert the iron into rust; When charging, an electric current is applied to convert the rust back into iron, and the battery "exhales" oxygen
Form Energy will invest $760 million to build a new iron-air battery manufacturing facility in West Virginia, one of the most important steel towns in the United States, which can help the company obtain the iron it needs to make batteries. This is Form Energy's fifth plant. The Oil Price website reported that US company Exil Energy, one of Form Energy's major customers, has ordered two 10 MW systems, with pilot projects expected to start in 2025.
Based on this approach, Form Energy's iron-air battery costs only 10% of lithium-ion batteries, but can meet 100 hours of storage requirements. In fact, compared to more expensive metal materials such as lithium and cobalt, iron's availability and low cost are clearly more attractive. In addition, iron has a much smaller environmental impact, so the shift to iron-air battery technology represents a more sustainable commericial energy storage option.
Provide more options for long-term energy storage technology
At present, the field of energy storage is mainly dominated by lithium-ion batteries, but considering the limitations of lithium-ion batteries, coupled with the supply chain crisis in recent years, seeking more stable and cost-effective battery technology has become the trend.
Nature magazine pointed out that the characteristics of iron-air batteries make them unsuitable for electric vehicles. On the one hand, it is because iron is heavier than lithium, and on the other hand, its charging efficiency and charging time are slow, and fast charging cannot be achieved. However, such characteristics are very suitable for grid-level energy storage, especially for long-term energy storage.
In Form Energy's view, iron-air batteries are designed for fixed grid storage, especially in the face of intermittent renewable energy such as "wind", the technology can store energy for days or even weeks, which makes it a good helper in balancing grid operations. However, due to the slow discharge rate, iron-air batteries also need to work with other energy storage technologies to handle peak demand.
According to the joint forecast of McKinsey and the Long-term Energy Storage Association, by 2040, the world is expected to deploy 1.5 terawatt to 2.5 terawatt hours of long-term energy storage capacity, when the overall energy storage capacity will reach 85 terawatt to 140 terawatt hours; By 2040, long-term storage deployments could help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 150 to 230 million tons per year, which is about 10 to 15 percent of current power sector emissions.
According to McKinsey, long-term energy storage can play a central role in enabling energy system flexibility. At present, the industry trend of exploring and investing in alternative battery technology development is becoming more and more obvious, and the diversity of solutions and designs will further enrich the research and development direction, paving the way for innovative long-term energy storage technology progress.
Future outlook: Cross-field application and technology integration
With the continuous deepening of research and development, metal air batteries are expected to be applied in more fields. For example, zinc-air batteries can be extended to medical devices, mobile communication base stations and other scenarios requiring high security and long life. Iron-air batteries will be further integrated with smart grid technology to provide a more efficient solution for smart energy management.
In addition, cross-field technology integration will also become a major trend in the future development. By combining with technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, metal air batteries can achieve a more intelligent battery management system, further improving efficiency and reducing operating costs. It is foreseeable that metal air batteries will play a more important role in the future energy market, injecting continuous power into the global energy transition.
Conclusion
With the continuous maturity of metal air battery technology and the expansion of application fields, this innovative energy storage technology will play an increasingly important role in the global energy market. Combined with intelligent management and cross-field cooperation, metal-air batteries will not only meet future energy needs, but also help achieve a safer and more efficient green energy system, injecting new impetus to promote global sustainable development.
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