EXPLODING BATTERIES
- dianahird
- Jun 9, 2017
- 1 min read
Today electricity is transmitted the same way it has since the 1880s when George Westinghouse introduced alternating current: over a web of interconnected wires that makeup the electric grid. But can this system adapt to the volume of renewable energy we want and need? Not yet. But soon.
Let's take solar. When the sun comes up, every solar panel in a region generates electricity at the same time. If supply is greater than demand, it can cause serious problems. In fact, this exact situation caused the Hawaii Public Service Commission to put a moratorium on new solar panel hook-ups.
Enter batteries. With a battery, the surplus electricity generated when the sun is up gets saved for use when the sun goes down: a perfect solution to the ups and downs of solar generation. So where are all the batteries?
Battery technology is not quite there. There's been an explosion here and a fire there. Industry players are innovating and competing for the winning technology. I'm betting on National Medal of Science winner John B. Goodenough and Maria Helena Braga at the University of Texas.
Related Resources:
Cardwell, Diane and Krauss, Clifford, "A Big Test For Big Batteries", New York Times, January 14, 2017
Tomlinson, Chris, "Fossil Fuel's Mortal Enemy Is a 94-Year-Old Scientist in Austin" , Houston Chronicle, April 7, 2017
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