Lunch, Bocce, and Electrochemical Systems for Large-Scale Energy Storage

The United States has set a goal to decarbonize energy production by 2035 and the entire economy by 2050. Multiple analyses estimated that to do so requires significant investment in energy storage technologies to time shift when the energy is produced by sources such as wind and solar to when the energy is consumed by users of the grid. Historically, energy has been stored using pumped hydropower which is limited geographically and by long startup/shutdown times, and therefore is unlikely to meet all the energy storage requirements for a decarbonized 2050 economy. Electrochemical technologies are well-suited to meet the needs of the grid of the future due to their capability to be sized to fit a range of power and energy applications as well as being able to respond to load changes almost instantaneously. Technologies of keen interest and high maturity are lithium-ion, sodium-ion, and multiple flow battery chemistries. In this talk, I will discuss the different battery chemistries under development by groups ranging from academia to industry. The fundamental mechanisms, material challenges, and economic drivers of each technology will be presented to provide a wholistic picture of each unique chemistry.

Speaker: Nicholas Cross, Lawrence Livermore National Labs

Register at weblink to attend in person, or watch online.  The presentation starts at 12:30.