Energy

Technical Applications

• Lead-acid, lithium, aluminum-iron
• sodium metal chloride, sodium sulfur
• zinc-bromine, iron-air, zinc chloride
• iron chromium, zinc-ferrocyanide, Li-FeS

Description

Batteries are the most common electric energy storage system. Currently many different types of batteries are used in a wide variety of applications, from high-power density lead acid starter batteries in automobiles to light-weight nickel cadmium batteries for powering consumer electronics.

Special Characteristics

To enable new uses in transportation or military applications, however, battery technology will need to improve in several dimensions. For use in electric cars, batteries must achieve currently unavailable levels of energy density (range), power density (acceleration), cycle life (lifetime), and low cost. They must also have minimal environmental impacts, and be safe, convenient, and reliable for consumer use.

Impact on Economy

Advanced batteries make a contribution to economic prosperity in several ways. They are a subject of an industry led R&D consortium, U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium, which includes the Big Three automakers, EPRI, and the Department of Energy. Batteries are also important to the Partnership for New Generation Vehicles which, if successful, would make a contribution toward improving the competitiveness of U.S. automobile manufacturers in domestic and world markets. Advanced batteries are an environmentally friendly technology because they may enable zero-emission vehicles, making a significant contribution to improving environmental quality.

Impact on Security

Batteries are also needed for such critical military equipment as night vision devices, communications, and various manpack systems. Even devices that only draw a few watts of power could drain a battery pack within hours; thus, either considerable battery weight must be brought along or else advanced energy storage systems must be available. At present, military units that would benefit most from advanced energy storage systems include various special forces components. Special operations forces (SOF) must carry their own supplies with them, and the very significant fraction of portable weight that is taken up by batteries restricts the other equipment that SOF units can employ. Advanced battery technology, therefore, makes an important contribution to the ability of the U.S. military to employ a range of capabilities more suitable to actions at the lower end of the full range of military operations.

Worldview

Japanese advanced batteries are slightly lagging U.S. capabilities, although aggressive research is improving the Japanese position. European firms are slightly behind U.S. firms in battery technology. No single country has a clear lead in electric vehicle battery technology.