Richmond Times-Dispatch announced a trial of a metal-hydrogen battery facility, which could discharge energy for up to 10 years. Their report explains how the 1.5 megawatt source will soon go on trial, as back-up at the Virginia State Multi-Purpose Center. This is a high-profile facility hosting athletic competitions, concerts, conferences, and other communal occasions.
We studied the media report, and learned that the novel technology employs a variety of metal compounds. These alternative materials are able to store and release electrons just like a regular battery.
Those electrons shuttle energy into the battery for storage, but release the power on demand to deliver electricity. This occurs in tandem as anodes and cathodes convert hydrogen to water, and then back again in a repeating cycle.
Metal-Hydrogen Batteries Suitable for Grid-Scale Storage
A nickel-metal-hydrogen battery could deliver some particularly remarkable performance numbers. U.S. Department of Energy (see link below) believes these could include:
- An impressively low operating-cost of $5/kWh over a single season.
- A life cycle of 30 years assuming 3 cycles per day / 33,000 in total.
- Zero maintenance in climates with temperatures from -30C to + 50C.
- A ‘very safe’ technology with benefits of cradle-to-cradle recyclability.
These claims are in stark contrast with the Department of Energy’s lithium-ion study. This reports up to $130/kWh, assuming 3,000 cycles over 10 years, and with attendant safety risks and difficulty recycling.
Metal Hydride Fuel Cells vs Metal-Hydrogen Batteries
The new technology on trial in Virginia really intrigued us, and so we delved further. We discovered that while metal-hydrogen is still in its infancy, metal-hydride fuel-cell research is ongoing.
Wikipedia explains these are a sub-class of alkaline fuel cells, in this case with the ability to chemically bond, and store energy within the fuel cell itself. Hydrogen is a common material in our natural environment. Teaming it with readily available metals thus holds promise for cleaner, safer energy storage in future.
More Information
First Nickel-Metal Hydride Batteries Arrive
Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries Appear in Satellites
