/r/EnergyStorage
A reddit focused on the storage of energy for later use. This includes things like batteries, capacitors, super-capacitors, flywheels, air compression, oil compression, mechanical compression, fuel tanks, pumped hydro, thermal storage, electrical storage, chemical storage, thermal storage, etc., but also broadens out to utilizing 'more-traditional' energy mediums... where their focus is on their energy storage potential for later use, including even using 'the grid' for storage.
The Energy Storage Reddit
Energy storage is accomplished by devices or physical media that store energy to perform useful operation at a later time. A device that stores energy is sometimes called an accumulator.
All forms of energy are either potential energy (e.g. Chemical, gravitational, electrical energy, etc.) or kinetic energy (e.g. thermal energy). A wind-up clock stores potential energy (in this case mechanical, in the spring tension), a battery stores readily convertible chemical energy to operate a mobile phone, and a hydroelectric dam stores energy in a reservoir as gravitational potential energy. Ice storage tanks store ice (thermal energy) at night to meet peak demand for cooling. Fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline store ancient energy derived from sunlight by organisms that later died, became buried and over time were then converted into these fuels. Even food (which is made by the same process as fossil fuels) is a form of energy stored in chemical form.
Related Reddits
/r/EnergyStorage
9,389 Subscribers
Top Skills to develop
I'm a project engineer in my utilities DER group. I am extremely passionate about energy storage and poised to have an impactful career.
Beyond getting my PE and experience with codes and standards for projects, what hard and soft skills should I focus on.
My long-term goal would be to break into a sales, business development, or entrepreneurial endeavor.
01:32 UTC
Tesla Sales Engineer position - advice on whether I should take the job or not?
Hello everybody, I have been following an opportunity for a Sales Engineer position for Tesla's Megapacks (battery energy storage systems). I am currently a consultant in the energy storage space, and have experience with technical analysis of several battery systems, so I feel like I would be a good match for the role. But having kept up with news in general, I'm wary of Tesla's company practices with the work/life balance, layoffs, and flexible PTO (which I'm not entirely sure how it works). Does anybody have experience working with Tesla and can speak about these topics? I'd love to work there, it's a 40k pay raise for me with the opportunity to work remote, but I don't wanna end up overburdened with work or be stressed out about being laid off within a year.
01:44 UTC
Energy Storage Breakthrough
Turning California’s oil fields into energy storage sites https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/08/14/can-californias-depleted-oil-fields-evolve-into-geothermal-power-and-storage-sites/
16:20 UTC
Learning Energy Storage Concepts
Hi all, could someone please help me with the following questions:
when people discuss lithium ion being used for storage on a 4-8 hour timescale, does this mean that the battery is storing enough energy to discharge continuously for 4-8 hours? Or that the energy stored is usually held for 4-8 hours before being released?
why are lithium ion batteries unsuitable for storage on a timescale of longer than 4-8 hours? I haven’t been able to find any good answers in my preliminary research.
Any help is much appreciated!
04:14 UTC
IRENA: Global renewable energy still needs to accelerate
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), if the global renewable energy capacity continues to grow at an annual rate of 14% in 2023, there will be a 1.5 TW shortfall compared to the COP28 target.
The latest IRENA statistics indicate that to meet the goals set at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, global renewable energy capacity needs to increase by at least 16.4% annually until 2030.IRENA's recent report underscores a significant risk: the world might fall short of the 11.2 TW target by 2030. With the 2023 growth rate hitting a record 14%, continuing at this pace could result in a global deficit of 1.5 TW, or about 13.5%, by 2030.
"Renewable energy is increasingly outperforming fossil fuels, but this is not the moment for complacency. The pace and scale of renewable energy growth must accelerate," said Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency. "Today's report serves as a wake-up call for the global community."
COP28 President Sultan AI Jaber emphasized the importance of collaboration among governments, private sectors, multilateral organizations, and civil society to reach these goals.Governments must establish clear renewable energy targets, accelerate licensing processes, expand grid connections, and adopt policies that drive industry growth while incentivizing private investment. AI Jaber added, "It's crucial to see climate investment not as a burden, but as an unprecedented chance to achieve collective socio-economic progress."
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has revealed that only 14 out of 194 countries have set explicit targets for renewable energy installed capacity by 2030. In June of this year, a report was published regarding the COP28 commitment to double the installed capacity of renewable energy.Notably, China, the global leader in renewable energy capacity, and India, ranked fourth, have not endorsed IRENA's global renewable energy targets. This reluctance is tied to the broader goal of doubling global energy efficiency.Improving energy efficiency involves reducing 'energy intensity.' According to the IEA, achieving the goal of doubling energy efficiency globally requires a 4% annual decrease in energy intensity, translating to a reduction of around 32% from 2022 to 2030.
Currently, only a few G20 nations, including China, Japan, France, the United Kingdom, and Indonesia, have consistently achieved a 4% decrease in energy intensity over the past five years, while the remaining 16 countries have not. Professor Teng Fei, Deputy Director of the Institute of Energy and Environmental Economics at Tsinghua University, suggests that meeting the double energy efficiency target may prove more challenging than the triple global renewable energy target.
For more articles on new energy, please feel free to consult: www.suness.com
SUNESS hot selling product link:Company Overview - Shenzhen Youess Energy Storage Technology Co., Ltd (alibaba.com)
08:03 UTC
World’s Largest Sodium-Ion Battery Powers 12,000 Homes
"At the Qianjiang site, the Sodium-ion Battery system also boasts exceptional operational efficiency in extreme conditions. According to Datang project manager Cui Yongle, these batteries can maintain 85% charge and discharge efficiency at temperatures as low as minus 68-degrees Fahrenheit. They also ensure 1,500 charge and discharge cycles at high temperatures of 140-degrees Fahrenheit."
https://sodiumbatteryhub.com/2024/08/02/worlds-largest-sodium-ion-battery-powers-12000-homes-2/
12:00 UTC
Whole home battery (no solar) vs. solar
So a quick search of the web finds no information/calculator on if you want to run just a battery power supply for your house (no solar) that you charge at night (midnight-6am) to run during the day from 4-9pm. Can anyone direct me to this info? All I can find is one European website (Gary does solar) that addresses this. The few random posts all seem to state this is the way to go.
Why: We currently pay "peak" 70.2¢ Kwh between 4-9pm. "Super off peak" (midnight-6am) is 35.2¢ , which we do almost zero of. Bill avg is about $350/mo ($300@70.2¢). If we charged batteries to run during 4-9pm that would theoretically reduce our bill to $200/mo, saving $150/mo. or $1,800/yr. Btw-They basically terminated net metering (70%+ reduction) for solar in S. California.
Question: Why get and pay for solar when you can just run batteries during the day that you charge at night? Wouldn't the ROI be faster?
00:08 UTC
Battery Cell Prices Fell Slightly in July; Lithium Prices Dropped to Around CNY 80,000 per Ton, Expected to Continue Falling in August, Says TrendForce
TrendForce reports that demand for EV batteries remained stable in July. However, the continued price decline for cathodes—coupled with falling prices for battery metals such as cobalt, nickel, and particularly copper—led to a reduction in the cost of battery materials and a slight drop in battery cell prices. In July, the prices of EV cells decreased by 2% compared to June. Monthly ASP for square ternary, square LFP, and pouch ternary EV battery cells were CNY 0.48/Wh, 0.41/Wh, and 0.50/Wh, respectively.
Market orders for ESS batteries weakened in July, and the industry’s production volume declined compared to the previous month. Additionally, prices for raw materials such as cathode materials, electrolytes, and copper foil all experienced varying degrees of decline, which made it difficult to support ESS battery prices. Furthermore, the shipment proportion of large-capacity cells (>280 Ah) with greater cost advantages has continued to increase. Consequently, the ASP for LFP ESS cells fell to about CNY 0.38/Wh in July—a monthly decrease of 9%.
TrendForce indicates that there is still significant pressure from oversupply in China’s lithium carbonate market. By the end of July, lithium carbonate prices had fallen to around CNY 80,000 per ton due to weak market conditions, but the reduction in supply was not substantial. Given the accelerated decline in market demand, the oversupply remains unchanged. It’s estimated that lithium carbonate prices will continue to fluctuate and hit new lows in the third quarter.
Notably, the implementation of tariff policies in overseas markets such as the US triggered a bout of restocking among cell makers in late July. This forward shift in demand is expected to increase upstream orders in the supply chain in August. Although the downward trend in lithium prices is expected to continue, the rate of decline may slow down.
09:45 UTC