New batteries of the future: 7 milestones
Ever stopped to think how indispensable batteries have become? It's no wonder, then, that research into better batteries is rapidly advancing. New batteries that are safer and more environmentally friendly, but also more compact and higher performing. What breakthroughs have researchers made in recent years? Let's take a look at 7 of the 'milestones' you'll soon benefit from.
Charging your laptop in 30 seconds. Only needing to charge your smartphone once a week. Getting your electric car ready to go again in just 10 minutes. And less heat development. Better batteries? Everyone can imagine that. Around the world, work is progressing on the next generation of batteries.
New batteries for safety and the environment
Researchers are constantly searching for new types of batteries, but why? There are several reasons, but safety and environmental friendliness are the main ones.
The new batteries need to become safer in their chemical composition and contain as few rare materials as possible. Thus, the positive effects on humans and the environment will be significant in a future where batteries play an increasingly important role.
But new batteries also need to meet the needs of the market: faster charging times, longer driving ranges in electric vehicles, affordable green energy for individuals and businesses, etc.
Therefore, batteries are currently at the heart of innovative developments. These 7 milestones have already been achieved or are in progress.
1. The heat-resistant battery
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have many advantages. But also disadvantages. Heat development, for example. The battery can then become damaged and lose capacity.
"How do we make the battery more resistant to heat?" researchers at Penn State University wondered. Their answer is a battery that heats up to +/- 60°C and then cools down again. This is ensured by the nickel foil at the negative pole of the battery. As a result, it can handle up to 1700 full charge cycles. And the battery of an electric car can be recharged in just 10 minutes. Cool, right?
2. The solid-state EV battery
The Battery Innovation Centre (BIC) of the MOBI research group (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) is known as a ‘hotspot’ for battery research, particularly into solid-state batteries. In these, the liquid electrolyte is replaced by a solid material. More powerful, smaller, safer, and cheaper.
In October 2019, MOBI unveiled an ultramodern dry room for the production of new battery technologies. With this, MOBI aims to significantly increase the capacity of batteries for electric cars, thereby extending the driving range of electric vehicles (to 800 km and beyond), reducing battery costs, and making electric vehicles cheaper.
Meanwhile, there are working prototypes of solid-state batteries with more than 1000 charge cycles and higher energy density. Toyota is currently testing a concept car with this technology. Volkswagen has confirmed that it will start the first solid-state battery production lines in Europe in 2025.
The battery for energy storage
Megabatteries
More and more naturally generated electricity comes from solar panels, wind turbines, and even the tides of the sea. #sustainable is the keyword for energy. But where can you store all the green electricity that is not immediately used? In superbatteries, suggested Tesla back in 2017, when it built a mega lithium-ion battery in Australia, capable of 100 megawatts.
And it didn't stop there. In 2018, it was Belgium's turn, with an equally powerful megabattery in Dilsen-Stokkem, Limburg. The first in Europe. In 2020, Ghent also received a Megabattery for the New Docks, which is expected to provide optimal management of energy flows for a new building project. Since then, the number of large-scale battery storage systems in Belgium has significantly increased.
Battery-as-a-Service (BaaS)
In the automotive industry, the boundaries of 'Battery-as-a-Service' are being explored. An electric vehicle is launched on the market without a battery. In this case, as an EV owner, you lease a battery that meets your current needs. For instance, if you primarily make short trips, you can purchase a compact battery with a lower driving range. If you need to drive further occasionally, you can swap your battery at a service station for one with higher battery capacity.
The BaaS model is continuing to grow in Asia and is cautiously expanding in Europe. NIO already operates more than 2000 battery swap stations in China. In Belgium, such systems remain rare for the time being, but interest from leasing companies is increasing.
Energy Storage Systems (home batteries)
In our country, Energy Storage Systems (ESS), including home batteries, are on the rise, especially when combined with solar panels. They are likely to become more mainstream - if the cost and payback time become more affordable.
In the category of home batteries, we also find an alternative to the lithium-ion battery: the saltwater battery. It is safer and more environmentally friendly, but due to its low energy density, it is heavier and larger. This is a development with great potential in our ambition to find increasingly ecological solutions for energy storage.
Used batteries from electric vehicles can also be used for energy storage. A discarded lithium-ion battery from an electric bus or car can likely still serve for another 7 to 10 years for storing self-generated energy.
4. The lithium-sulfur battery
VITO, UHasselt, IMEC, KU Leuven, and EnergyVille are actively working on a promising new type of battery: the lithium-sulfur battery. This is a battery that does not require cobalt and nickel, which are toxic materials that require large amounts of water and energy to extract. Instead, the battery uses sulfur, the third most common raw material on earth, which is often considered a waste product.
The technology is not yet fully developed, but it looks hopeful. The lithium-sulfur battery has the potential to store five times more energy than the current lithium-ion battery!
5. The battery that attracts CO2
A battery is not always used to power devices or drive cars. Since 2019, there is also one that removes CO2 from the surrounding air or from specific industrial gases. It was the researchers at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) who developed an electro swing battery. Compare it to a vacuum cleaner. The battery has a coating of polyanthraquinone around its electrodes. This coating attracts carbon dioxide particles which are then stored or further used. Scientists foresee many more applications for this technology. And that is good news for a cleaner environment!
You can see how it works here. In 2023, an improved version was presented with a 30% higher CO₂ absorption capacity and commercial test projects in industrial environments.
6. The CO2 Competitor for Lithium-Ion
CO2 (carbon dioxide) plays another role in the quest for better batteries, particularly in the research for more battery capacity with less weight. Lithium-ion will soon face stiff competition, as the combination of lithium and CO2 can hold up to 7 times more electricity than today's lithium-ion batteries. However, a problem arises as the CO2 solidifies within the battery, causing the capacity to decrease over time. This is a problem that researchers at the University of Illinois have tackled intensely. In this case, molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) enabled a viable lithium-CO2 battery in 2019.
7. Super-fast charging of EV batteries
In Israel, a start-up (StoreDot) has developed a technology that could relieve the biggest stress of EV drivers: limited range. Their system can fully charge a depleted battery in just 5 minutes. In 2024, the first test cars with this technology were rolled out in collaboration with Polestar and VinFast. The commercial breakthrough depends on infrastructure such as extremely powerful charging stations and adapted network capacity.
