Paper on sustainability of stationary batteries awarded

Scientists from ITAS have analyzed the CO2 footprint and life‐cycle costs of different batteries for stationary applications. An article on their results published in “Energy Technology” has been named one of the journal’s best articles of the year 2017.
Energy Technology. Sonderausgabe 5(7): Energy Research at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
(Wiley-VCH Verlag)

While batteries are often associated with electric vehicles, they are not only a key technology for future mobility services, but also essential for stabilizing the electricity grid with increasing shares of renewable energy. The article CO2 Footprint and Life‐Cycle Costs of Electrochemical Energy Storage for Stationary Grid Applications determines life-cycle costs and greenhouse gas emissions of different battery technologies within stationary applications. It is part of the special issue “Energy Research at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology”.

Lithium-Ion batteries most promising

The authors use an innovative combination of life cycle assessment, uncertainty simulation and battery size optimization. In contrast to previous works, they apply dynamic load profiles for the optimization of the size and lifetime of batteries and consider the potential influence of future technology developments like changing electricity mix or battery price decreases. Lithium-Ion batteries are found to be among the most promising battery technologies, due to their high performance and comparatively long lifetime. Classic lead-acid batteries, although cheap on the first glimpse, are less recommendable for stationary applications due to their low lifetime and efficiency. 

The authors of the article – Manuel Baumann, Jens Peters, Marcel Weil, and Armin Grunwald – are part of a joint research group from ITAS and the Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU). They work on sustainability assessments of existing and emerging energy storage technologies, i.e., their environmental impacts, economic and social implications, resource demand, and potential roles within a future circular and renewables-based economy.  (25.09.2018)

 

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