New research on no 5 alkaline battery performance

The global Battery Alliance, charged with advancing no 5 alkaline battery technology, has been relaunched as it prepares to launch a series of new studies aimed at taking the technology to the next level. The Consortium for Battery Innovation, which includes more than 90 member companies supporting pre-competitive research into lead-acid battery technology worldwide, is preparing for a surge in demand for energy storage over the next decade. Since it was formed 25 years ago, the ALABC has also ushered in major breakthroughs, including the start-stop battery - a technology that allows car engines to stop and restart, reducing CO2 emissions and improving fuel economy. Now, the Battery Innovation Alliance is stepping up its work by developing a new technology roadmap that aims to extend the performance and life of core battery technologies. The Cycle Life of Advanced Lead Batteries program, to be announced later this year, will fund projects aimed at extending the cycle life of advanced lead batteries and further improving their ability to operate in applications such as start-stop and micro-hybrid applications. Other areas highlighted for future research include in-depth studies into the addition of elements such as carbon, aimed at extending life and performance. One of the Alliance's pioneering studies is already underway in the US in collaboration with Argonne National Laboratory. Read more: The road ahead for lithium-ion batteries It uses the laboratory's synchrotron X-ray source to study in real time the chemical changes taking place during the charging and discharging reactions, which has previously been done with lead batteries. Dr Alistair Davidson, Director of the Battery Innovation Alliance, said: "I expect global demand for energy storage to grow significantly over the next decade. In Europe alone, demand is set to increase tenfold by 2050. Advanced lead batteries are therefore critical to meeting this requirement, which goes beyond existing uses such as start-stop batteries and mobile network back-up and emergency power." Drivers for advanced batteries According to Dr Davidson, there are a number of factors driving this demand, including decarbonisation and electrification. It’s exciting to see lead batteries becoming more common as energy storage for renewable energy sources like solar and wind as local grids and standalone power systems come online,” he noted. Dr. Davidson also noted that cost, recovery, safety and reliability, and performance are all important factors in these systems, which play to lead batteries’ strengths. “Overall, there is certainly a need for better performance and longer life, so our next set of research priorities will be big leaps in the ability of technology to help meet this surge in demand,” he said. Dr. Davidson further stressed that driving greater electrification requires a portfolio of battery technologies that can be delivered at scale. “We are working with government research teams and universities in the US and Europe to develop technologies that will usher in the next generation of advanced lead batteries,” he concluded.

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