Definition
Definition
A battery is a device that is able to store electrical energy in the form of chemical energy. The electricity is released by a chemical reaction. It is built up by one or more electrochemical cells, which are either designed for one time use (primary battery) or for recharge (secondary battery) and can then be used multiple times.
Purpose
Batteries generally store power for mobile purposes, such as laptops and cars and when no access to an electricity grid is avalaible, e.g. remote telecom infrastructure. Also batteries could help to store oversupply of electricity from intermittent sources, such as wind power, for times with less supply.
Commodification
Batteries are of value when electricity is needed in places where it is not possible or not economically viable to build a grid infrastructure. They are also used for back-up of the electricity grid to bridge a supply-gap in case of grid failure.
Working Principle
A battery consists of two or more electrochemical cells which are connected in series or parallel, but the term is generally also used for a single cell. A typically consists of the following parts: negative electrode; electrolyte, which conducts ions; separator, also called an ion conductor; and a positive electrode.
The electrolyte may be aqueous (composed of water) or nonaqueous (not composed of water), in liquid, paste, or solid form. When the cell is connected to an external load, e.g. a lightbulb, the negative electrode supplies a current of electrons that flows through the load and towards the positive electrode. When the external load is removed the reaction ceases.
As explained earlier, there are two types of batteries: a primary battery, which convert its chemicals into electricity only once and is discarded afterwards. And a secondary battery which has electrodes that can be reconstituted by passing electricity back through it. It is also called a storage or rechargeable battery and can be reused many times.
History
Origin
The development of the battery started with the Italian physicist Allessandro Volta, who build the first electrochemical cell in 1792. Then in 1800 he stashed a couple of these cells in series and the first battery was a fact.
Also there are indications that much earlier the electrochemical effect was known and used, because several ancient artifacts consisting of copper sheets and iron bars, that could have been used as batteries where found in Iraq in 1948. These are known as the Baghdad batteries and may have been used as early as 200 BC.
Popular Use
The Voltaic Pile as developed by Volta in 1800 could not sustain an electrical current for a long period of time. John F. Daniell invented the Daniell Cell that used two electrolytes: copper sulfate and zinc sulfate and laster longer then the Voltaic Pile. This battery, which produced about 1.1 volts, was used to power objects such as telegraphs, telephones, and doorbells, remained popular in homes for over 100 years.
These so-called wet cells used liquid electrolytes, which were prone to leakage. Therefore, they were unsuitable for portable appliances. At the end of the nineteenth century, the dry cell was invented. In a dry cell battery, the liquied electrolyte is replaced by a paste, which makes it suitable for mobile applications. This was the start of the popular use of batteries in a wide variety of applications.
Money Involved
Growth
Global primary and secondary battery demand is forecast to climb 4.8 percent per year to $109 billion in 2014.
Application
Use
Batteries are used in a wide range of applications, both in the domestic and industrial sector. Well-known applications are cars, laptops, mobile phones and flash-lights.
Different types of batteries have been developed for different applications, the following list gives an overview of the three most used types:
Type Typical application Typical specific energy
Lead- acid Car, back-up power 30–50 Wh/kg
Nickel-based Flashlight, Alarm-clock, 60-100 Wh/kg
Lithium-ion Laptop, mobile phone 100-200 Wh/kg
Next to these types other battery concepts are used or under development, such as Zinc-air and Sodium-Sulfur batteries.
Challenges
Storage Capacity
The main characteristic of a battery is its storage capacity, especially for mobile purposes the weight versus storage capacity ratio is important. Scientists are continuously working on improving this ratio.
Rare Earth Metals
Battteries are believed to play an increasingly important role in our energy system, however one of the bottlenecks is that for most batteries specialty and rare earth metals such as lithium and neodymium are needed. The abundance of these resources is limited and mining them can be problematic.
Motavalli, J.
Environmental Pollution
Another matter of concern is the environmental hazard the material input of batteries pose. To control these hazards numerous countries have introduced recycling schemes.
Possibilities
Integrate Renewables
Batteries are seen as an important solution to match supply and demand of electricity when intermittent renewable energies, such as wind and solar, make up a greater share of electricity in the future. Using batteries their energy can be stored at times with low demand and fed into the grid at high demand. This idea has been combined with the development of electric vehicles to use the batteries in these vehicles as a mobile storage and back-up when connected to the grid.
Prospects
Outlook
Because of the possibilities of batteries, combined with intermittent energy sources and applications in electric vehicles, the outlook is good. The global primary and secondary battery demand is forecast to climb 4.8 percent per year to $109 billion in 2014 and can be expected to grow even faster further in the future when electric vehicle sales pick up.
Transition to Globalisation
Electric Vehicles
The fast, clean, green automobile is no longer a dream. It's right around the corner and coming soon to your driveway. The fashion statement of the moment, this enviable ride costs $120,000, goes from 0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds, and can travel as much as 250 miles on a single charge.
Globalisation > Economy > Transportation > By Land > Cars
Transition to Political Tools
Denmark to Power Electric Cars by Wind in Vehicle-to-Grid Experiment
The project will use electric car batteries to store excess energy and feed electricity back into the grid when the weather is calm.
Tools > Institutions > National > Denmark > Dom. Policies > Economy > Energy > Renewable
Transition to Political Actors
Better Place Unveils Europe’s First Battery Switch Station in Denmark
In preparation for commercial launch later this year, Better Place today unveiled the company’s first Battery Switch station in Europe at an event in Gladsaxe, just outside Copenhagen. The station, which showcased the company’s Battery Switch technology, switching a Renault Fluence Z.E., is the first of 20 Battery Switch Stations to be deployed across the country over the next nine months as part of the company’s nationwide network of charging infrastructure.
