Another Ozzie startup.
Zinc-bromide flow batteries have been around for a while. They're heavier than lithium-ion batteries, and less energy dense, but on the other hand, there's no phantom drain, so they can be used for long-term storage, and they can be charged and discharged thousands of times. However, they're bulky.
The Ozzie company, Gelion, has come up with a clever variant of the zinc-bromide battery, using a water-based gel, so that, unlike a conventional flow battery, it requires no pumping. The company has also designed its batteries so they can fit in to conventional lead-acid battery packs and spaces, and can be produced on the same assembly lines as lead-acid batteries, which will reduce their manufacturing cost. The company describes them as long-life, long-duration and low-cost, as well as robust, abuse-tolerant and fire-resistant. They can withstand higher temperatures than both li-ion and lead-acid batteries.
These batteries could replace the lead-acid batteries currently used in cars, but won't be used to power EVs, because their energy density is only 30% of a li-ion battery. But they will be ideal for stabilising the grid.
Here's an excellent video from Just Have a Think about these batteries. They sound very promising.
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