Economical comparison among rechargeable batteries for integrating renewable energy into electrical grids

Abstract

In this paper, economical comparison is conducted among non-toxic, non-flammable rechargeable batteries for integrating renewable energy into electrical grids. Two types of recently developed non-toxic aqueous batteries, "flow assisted Zn/NiOOH battery" and "half capacitor - half battery" (AC/NiOOH and AC/NaMnO2, AC denotes activated carbon. The AC electrode can be considered "a half capacitor", and the NiOOH or NaMnO2 electrode can be considered "a half battery"), are introduced and analyzed. These newly developed energy storage devices offer less expensive solutions for large scale energy storage than conventional batteries such as lithium-ion batteries, lead-acid batteries, vanadium redox flow batteries, and nickel metal hydride batteries. A newly started aqueous battery development, flow -assist-free Zn/NiOOH battery is also presented.