Soluble Lead Flow Battery
Technology Description:
General Atomics is developing a flow battery technology based on chemistry similar to that used in the traditional lead-acid battery found in nearly every car on the road today. Flow batteries store energy in chemicals that are held in tanks outside the battery. When the energy is needed, the chemicals are pumped through the battery. Using the same basic chemistry as a traditional battery but storing its energy outside of the cell allows for the use of very low-cost materials. The goal is to develop a system that is far more durable than today's lead-acid batteries, can be scaled to deliver megawatts of power, and which lowers the cost of energy storage below $100 per kilowatt hour.
Potential Impact:
If successful, General Atomics' project would create a cost-competitive grid-scale energy storage battery, accelerating the adoption and integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
Security:
A more efficient and reliable grid would be more resilient to potential disruptions.
Environment:
Electricity generation accounts for over 40% of U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Enabling large-scale contributions of wind and solar power for our electricity generation would result in a substantial decrease in CO2 emissions.
Economy:
Increases in the availability of wind and solar power would reduce fossil fuel demand, resulting in reduced fuel prices and more stable electricity rates.
Contact
ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. John Lemmon
Project Contact:
Dr. Aaron Sathrum
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
aaron.sathrum@ga.com
Partners
University of California, San Diego
Related Projects
Release Date:
03/02/2010