Sodium batteries require very little rare earths in comparison to lithium batteries.
Comment on US grid adds batteries at 10x the rate of natural gas in first half of 2024
Arkouda@lemmy.ca 3 weeks agoBatteries have infinite energy now? No storage issues due to electrical surges, heat, cold, or anything else that makes batteries sub optimal? While seemingly by magic, mining rare earth minerals spreads its environmental impact over 10-15 years of the lifetime of the battery with 0 negative impact to the area the mine is located?
Oh wait… None of that is true so I guess you can try again.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
Arkouda@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
It really is too bad about the weak life cycle, poor charge/discharge rate, and incredibly low voltage that begin the story of “Why don’t we just use sodium ion batteries?” and place it directly in the “tragedy” section of the book store.
ProdigalFrog@slrpnk.net 3 weeks ago
The information I’ve seen regarding deep discharge life-cycle for sodium ion is that the latest tech is actually extremely good, at least according to this. I don’t see how the lower voltage is a problem, since for grid situations you’ll have transformers anyway, and the batteries can just be hooked up in series to increase the voltage.
They use abundant materials, will be much cheaper than lithium ion, don’t need to be actively cooled, and massively lessen the risk of rupture and fires.
The low density per unit of weight isn’t relevant for grid storage, so they seem pretty ideal.
SeaJ@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
mining rare earth minerals
Are you under the impression that we use NMC batteries for grid energy storage?? LOL
Arkouda@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
Are you under the impression that we use NMC batteries for grid energy storage?? LOL
Sure is weird how you think you are owning me here while ignoring the fact that all batteries have an environmental impact and Lithium is one of the worst when it comes to battery components that are incredibly costly to the environments where it is mined, which is the main component in batteries used for grid storage.
“LOL”
mriguy@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I have no idea what you are trying to say. Batteries have an environmental impact, but so does fracking for natural gas. You have the impact up front making a battery, but charging it with renewables does not have continued environmental impact. But if you use gas, you’re going to have to use an awful lot of it over that time period to offset the clean power you’re able to use when you have a battery. And that gas has a very high environmental impact.
I didn’t say batteries have NO impact, but they have less impact than continually mining and burning fossil fuels.
SeaJ@lemm.ee 3 weeks ago
They are using a strawman and trying to claim victory. They are not arguing in good faith.
mriguy@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Yeah, I think you’re right.
Arkouda@lemmy.ca 3 weeks ago
The fact that you believe renewable energy sources have no environmental impact demonstrates to me the need to no longer speak with you. My brain can take only so much ignorance and green washing is my line today.
mriguy@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Ok. Have a nice day.