‘Suddenly’ begins to mean ‘immediately-in-a-nano-second’ in our world of instant gratification. However, when we were kids the time between birthdays seemed to last forever. When we ponder over why batteries became important in this particular post, our time frame is probably the past two decades. We reflect on how this late 19th century technology suddenly caught a fresh breath.
Was the Catalyst a Jump to Rechargeable Batteries?
Single-use, throwaway zinc-carbon batteries undoubtedly contributed to the trend. Although they were expensive, did not last long, did not recharge, and spent ones went to landfill. Meanwhile, coal, oil and gas were making a dramatic, transparent, almost revolutionary impact on almost every aspect of life.
Perhaps the reason why batteries slowly developed in the background, was because there were few portable electronic circuits as yet. True, lead-acid batteries did kick-start gasoline motors, but after that almighty gasoline took over. We are reminded how often the importance of something depends on its usefulness to us right now.
However, and perhaps this was the key to the developing paradigm, we could pop zinc-carbon batteries in our pockets, unlike the coal, oil, and gasoline they delivered in large noisy trucks. And moreover the radios and flashlights they powered did not emit carbon, although that did not seem to matter to us yet.
Did Lithium-Ion and Global Warming Supercharge the Trend?
Lithium-ion rechargeable technology increased the scope of what electro-chemically stored energy could achieve. Almost simultaneously, the world became grudgingly aware of global warming too. These two factors sparked tremendous interest in two previously-latent technologies:
- Utilities needed masses of batteries to support energy harvested from the wind and the sun.
- Electric vehicles arrived in increasing numbers, voraciously demanding more powerful batteries.
We have arrived in the age of electro-chemical cells, where they are no longer conveniences, they are essentials in our daily lives. But batteries will need to become lighter, smaller, and more powerful before they can fully achieve this role. We’ll keep you up to date with developments as they unfold.
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History of Alkaline Batteries Goes a Way Back
