In recent years, as the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy continues to grow, there has been growing interest in more efficient and safer energy storage technologies.
In this context, the “all-individual battery (Solid-State Battery)” is attracting significant attention as a next-generation battery.
Solid-state batteries have the potential to replace conventional lithium-ion batteries and are expected to be used in a variety of fields.
What is an all-individual battery?
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, all-individual batteries use a “solid” electrolyte inside.
Whereas in a conventional lithium-ion battery, lithium ions move through a liquid electrolyte, in an all-individual battery its electrolyte is solid, allowing current to flow without depending on the liquid electrolyte. This creates several important advantages.
1．Improved safety
One of the greatest advantages of all-individual batteries is improved safety.
Conventional lithium-ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte, which can ignite or explode if overcharged, overdischarged, or subjected to external shock. In contrast, all-individual batteries use a solid electrolyte, which greatly reduces the risk of ignition or expansion.
Solid electrolytes are also resistant to extreme temperature changes, providing greater safety.
2．High energy density
All-individual batteries are expected to have a higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries.
This is because the solid electrolyte supports more efficient lithium ion transfer, allowing for a smaller battery with the same capacity.
High energy density could significantly extend battery life in devices such as electric vehicles and smartphones.
3．Long service life
Solid electrolytes are chemically more stable than liquid electrolytes and can withstand extended periods of use.
As a result, all-individual batteries are expected to have a longer service life than lithium-ion batteries.
This is expected to reduce the frequency of battery replacement and lower total costs in electric vehicles and renewable energy systems.
4．High temperature resistance
Solid electrolytes are more resistant to high temperature environments than liquid electrolytes.
This allows all-individual batteries to avoid performance degradation at extreme temperatures and to operate stably even in hot and humid regions or in harsh environments.
This makes them suitable for use in a variety of industrial applications and under harsh conditions.
Scope of Application and Future of All-Individual Batteries
Once commercialized, all-individual batteries will have a very wide range of applications.
In particular, they are expected to be used as batteries for electric vehicles (EVs). The high energy density and long life of all-individual batteries have the potential to significantly increase the cruising range of EVs.
In addition, they are also expected to be used in diverse fields, such as home appliances, drones, aircraft, and storage batteries for renewable energy.
Furthermore, if the evolution of all-individual batteries improves the efficiency of energy storage technologies in general, they will play a major role in the spread of renewable energy.
The ability to efficiently store unstable energy sources such as wind and solar power and release them when needed will accelerate the realization of a cleaner, more sustainable energy society.
All-phase batteries have the potential to be the next generation of batteries with many advantages such as their superior safety, high energy density, long life, and high temperature resistance.
Technical hurdles to commercialization, such as production costs, performance at low temperatures, and the physical properties of solid electrolytes, still exist.
Nevertheless, the widespread use of all-individual batteries could have a revolutionary impact on the fields of electric vehicles and renewable energy, and future developments that will have a significant impact on our lives should be watched with particular attention.
Introduction
Electricity consumption is on the rise these days, with peaks occurring during certain times of the year, particularly in summer and winter. Today, there is a particular need for infrastructure development and power supply to handle peak loads, and peak shaving is one of the solutions to these problems of increased energy demand and peak loads.
1. Increased Energy Demand and Peak Load Issues
■ Increased Energy Demand
There are three main factors that explain why electricity demand is increasing.
The first is economic growth. With global economic growth, there has been an increase in industrial, commercial, and residential electricity consumption. Particularly in developing countries, urbanization and industrialization are rapidly increasing energy demand.
The second is the rapid increase in demand for data centers and servers due to the spread of technologies such as digitalization and technological innovation (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), which in turn is increasing power consumption.
And the third is climate change countermeasures. In Japan, various efforts to expand the introduction of renewable energy have been underway since before COP28 in 2023, while new forms of energy consumption, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps used for air conditioning, are also increasing.
■ Peak Load Issues
In addition, peak demand is also an issue. Electricity demand surges at certain times of the year (e.g., summer afternoons and winter nights), and if power supply cannot keep up during these times, there is a risk of power outages and supply shortages. The power grid and power plant infrastructure must be strengthened to cope with such peak loads, but this comes at a significant cost. In addition, power plant operations can become unstable.
2. what is peak shaving? Definition of Peak Shaving
Peak shaving, by the way, refers to reducing peak electricity consumption during specific time periods. This improves the stability of the power supply and reduces the burden on the power grid. In addition, the supply of electricity must instantaneously meet demand, and since shortages of supply during peak hours increase the risk for each power company, peak shaving with storage batteries reduces risk by balancing supply and demand, thereby promoting the efficient use of energy.
3. The Role of Storage Batteries and Their Importance
Storage batteries play a role in coordinating supply and demand by storing electricity during periods of low demand and releasing it during periods of high demand to level out peaks, thereby improving the stability of the electricity supply. In addition to improving energy efficiency and promoting the use of renewable energy through this technology, storage batteries complement weather-dependent renewable energy sources, which tend to be unstable in terms of power generation, by storing surplus power and using it when needed, thereby promoting more efficient use.
Furthermore, the biggest advantage for consumers is that usage fees can be significantly reduced.
By reducing electricity consumption during peak hours, electricity rates can be leveled out, thus avoiding high electricity prices (maximum demand) that, once raised, do not fall thereafter, and reducing overall electricity costs. This improvement in cost efficiency is especially important for companies.
On the other hand, since more than 70% of Japan’s power supply composition is provided by thermal power generation, the use of storage batteries is also suitable for environmental considerations, as they promote the use of renewable energy sources, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels and contributing to CO2 emissions reduction.
4. stability of power supply in case of “what if” situations
Above all, storage batteries are capable of supplying power even in the event of a power outage, and are therefore seen as a powerful tool for ensuring the continuity of critical infrastructure and services. This is because storage batteries are expected to play an important role in times of disaster, especially in critical facilities such as hospitals and data centers, where the stability of power supply is enhanced, and in high-rise buildings, where human lives may be at stake depending on whether or not elevators are in operation.
Conclusion
Increasing energy demand and peak load problems are having a significant impact on the stability of the power supply.
In this context, storage batteries are expected to be realized as a sustainable energy system, as they promote the efficient use of energy and renewable energy, thereby contributing to cost reduction and environmental protection.
What is a storage battery?
It is no exaggeration to say that modern society cannot exist without electric power.
From the smartphones and laptop computers we use on a daily basis to electric vehicles (EVs), electricity is an important element of our lives.
Against this backdrop, storage batteries (batteries) are increasingly attracting attention as an important technology that enables us to efficiently and sustainably use the electricity we consume.
The Basics of Storage Batteries and Their Role
A storage battery is a device that stores electrical energy as chemical energy and releases that energy as electricity when needed.
The batteries we use in our daily lives are basically a type of storage battery. The most significant feature of storage batteries is their ability to store electricity.
They support our daily lives by capturing electricity when they are charged and supplying that energy to the outside world when they are discharged.
In general, a storage battery consists of the following three main elements
・Electrodes (anode and cathode)
・Electrolyte (serves as a mediator of ions)
・Separator (insulator that prevents direct contact between electrodes)
These components work well together to repeatedly store and release energy.
During charging, a chemical reaction proceeds and electricity is stored in the electrodes. When discharged, the energy is released through a reverse chemical reaction and becomes the energy source we use.
Types and Characteristics of Storage Batteries
There are various types of storage batteries, and they are used differently depending on the application and required performance.
The following are representative types.
1. lithium-ion batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are the most widely used type of storage battery in modern technology.
They are used in many of the products we are familiar with, such as the smartphones, laptop computers, and electric vehicles mentioned earlier.
The reasons for this are their high energy density, long life, and light weight.
In particular, lithium-ion batteries are extremely useful in our daily lives because of their ability to store energy efficiently and their high discharge efficiency.
2. lead-acid batteries
Lead-acid batteries have been used for a long time and are used in car batteries and some renewable energy systems.
Although they have a lower energy density than lithium-ion batteries, their low cost and high durability enable a relatively stable supply.
3. sodium sulfur batteries
Sodium-sulfur batteries are the type most often used, especially in large-scale energy storage systems (ESS).
They are characterized by high energy density and long life, but require cooling technology because they operate at high temperatures.
They are mainly used in power utilities and renewable energy storage systems.
Storage Batteries: Challenges and Future Prospects
While storage batteries are indispensable to our daily lives, they also pose several challenges. One of them is “energy density.
Current storage batteries have reached an energy density that is close to their theoretical limit, and there is a need to develop new technologies that can store energy with even higher efficiency.
Another major issue is recharging speed.
Especially for electric vehicles, the time it takes to recharge the batteries causes inconvenience to users and is an obstacle to their widespread use. To solve this problem, it is necessary to improve the charging infrastructure and fast charging technology.
Cost is another important factor.
Although lithium-ion batteries offer high performance, their high manufacturing cost remains an economic challenge in mass production.
Future innovations in materials and manufacturing methods to achieve cost reductions are expected.
Potential of Solid-State Batteries
Against this backdrop, solid-state batteries are attracting attention as the storage battery technology of the future.
Solid-state batteries are expected to achieve higher energy density and safety by using solid electrolytes instead of conventional liquid electrolytes.
Solid-state batteries are said to have less risk of ignition or leakage, and will also be able to be charged at higher speeds,
Solid-state batteries have the potential to revolutionize storage batteries, especially for electric vehicles and renewable energy.
Advancement of recycling technology
As the use of storage batteries expands, battery recycling technology is becoming increasingly important.
Advances in recycling technology will, for example, make it possible to efficiently recover valuable resources (such as lithium and cobalt) from used storage batteries,reducing the burden on the environment.
Storage batteries and renewable energy
Renewable energies (solar, wind, etc.) are dependent on day and night and weather conditions, making it difficult to provide a stable power supply without modification.
Storage batteries are therefore attracting attention as a solution. By storing surplus electricity generated from renewable energy sources in storage batteries and discharging it when demand increases or when it is difficult to generate electricity, energy supply can be stabilized.
In particular, by installing a home energy storage system, surplus electricity from solar power generation can be stored and used in the home, reducing the amount of electricity purchased from the power company. This makes it possible to be self-sufficient in energy and save on electricity bills.
Storage batteries are an important technology that supports our daily lives and is a key to solving future energy problems.
Their importance is growing, especially as renewable energy sources become increasingly widespread.
By overcoming current challenges and creating new technologies, we will be able to build a more efficient and sustainable energy society.
The evolution of storage battery technology must be a major force in helping us realize an environmentally friendly, more convenient, and more comfortable future.
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