The Decreasing Price of Lithium-ion Batteries in India

The article discusses the increasing popularity of lithium-ion batteries for inverters and UPS systems in India, mainly due to their advantages over traditional lead-acid batteries and the decreasing price of lithium-ion batteries.

Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

Advantages of Lithium-ion Batteries:

• Longer lifespan: Lithium-ion batteries last significantly longer (3000 cycles) compared to lead-acid batteries (400-500 cycles).
• Faster charging: Lithium-ion batteries can be charged in 2-3 hours, whereas lead-acid batteries take 12-15 hours.
• Lighter weight: Lithium-ion batteries are much lighter than lead-acid batteries for the same capacity.
• Smaller size: Lithium-ion batteries require less space than lead-acid batteries.
• Built-in protections: Lithium-ion batteries have a Battery Management System (BMS) that protects against overcharging, undercharging, and other issues.
• Lower maintenance: Lithium-ion batteries don’t require refilling water like lead-acid batteries.
• Safer: Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) batteries are considered safer than lead-acid batteries.

Price of Lithium-ion Batteries:

• The article mentions that the price of lithium-ion batteries has been dropping and is expected to reach parity with lead-acid batteries in 2024.
• The article provides a breakdown of typical price ranges for various capacity lithium-ion batteries for inverters/UPS in India.

Other factors to Consider:

• The article highlights the importance of researching different brands and features before buying a lithium-ion battery.
• It emphasizes choosing a battery with the right capacity for your needs and getting one from a reputable brand with a warranty.

Overall, the article suggests that lithium-ion batteries are becoming a more viable option for inverters and UPS systems in India due to their decreasing cost and numerous advantages over traditional lead-acid batteries.

Tree-Based Batteries: A Sustainable Energy Storage Solution:- Finland-based Stora Enso, one of the world’s largest owners of private forests, has a sustainable solution to the world’s increasing demand for energy storage: batteries made from trees. In partnership with Swiss battery maker Altris, Stora Enso is exploring using Lignode, a potential replacement for graphite in batteries.

With the world rapidly switching to cleaner sources of energy through solar and wind farms, there is an increased demand for solutions that can store excess energy generated on sunny or windy days. 

Lithium-based batteries are the most energy-dense solutions we have. Still, the supply chain for making these batteries is tilted heavily in favor of China. Countries in the West completely depend on China to secure their energy transition, prompting a change in how energy is stored. 

This passage describes an innovative partnership between Stora Enso, a major forest owner, and Altris, a battery developer, to create a sustainable solution for energy storage: batteries made from trees.

Here’s a breakdown of the key points:

• The Problem:
  • The rise of solar and wind power is growing demand for energy storage.
  • Reliance on China for lithium-ion batteries, a critical component for storing energy and powering electronics.
• The Alternative:
  • Sodium-ion batteries: Developed by Altris, these batteries offer a potential replacement for lithium-ion batteries and can be made with abundant sodium.
  • Lignode: Developed by Stora Enso, this bio-based material from tree byproducts (lignin) can replace graphite in battery anodes.
• Benefits:
  • Reduced reliance on China: Creates a European supply chain for battery components.
  • Sustainability: Utilizes a renewable resource (trees) and reduces reliance on mined materials.
  • Potential for wider application: Lignode could be used in both lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries.

Alternate energy storage solutions

Interesting Engineering has previously reported on how companies and even European governments are building large-scale energy storage solutions that do not use lithium. However, lithium-based batteries are also core components of technological advances such as mobile phones, laptops, and even electric cars. 

Switzerland-based Altris develops sodium-based batteries, a potential replacement for lithium batteries. Made using abundantly available sodium, these batteries and other similarly innovative tech can help the West develop its own supply chain. 

A spin-off from Uppsala University, Altris can develop cathodes, electrolytes, battery cells, and factory blueprints for commercial-scale battery production, making it ideal for developing a new type of battery from trees.   

Batteries from trees

Stora Enso uses its forest reserves to manufacture pulp, of which lignin is a by-product. A naturally occurring polymer, lignin makes up to 30 percent of a tree and is abundantly available.

Lignin also contains carbon, which makes it suitable for making the anode or the positive electrode in a battery, whether based on lithium or sodium ions. Stora Enso developed the tech at its pilot plant in Kotka, Finland, and refers to it as Lignode. 

Currently, anodes are made from graphite, whose supply is controlled by China. By using a material that is a by-product of another industrial process, the companies aim to set up a more stable and consistent supply chain for the production of anodes in Europe. 

“Bio-based materials are key to improving the sustainability of battery cells,” said Juuso Konttinen, Senior Vice President & Head of Biomaterials Growth at Stora Enso. “With Lignode having the potential to become the most sustainable anode material in the world, this partnership with Altris aligns perfectly with our common commitment to support the ambition on more sustainable electrification.”

“At Altris, we strive to establish a local supply chain and leverage abundant and clean materials to develop sodium-ion batteries,” said Björn Mårlid, CEO of Altris said in a press release.

“Therefore, it’s exciting to team up with Stora Enso and take part in their establishment of a Europe-based tree-to-anode supply chain. We are looking forward to the partnership evolving over the coming years, with the aim to commercialise the world’s most sustainable battery.”

Why do lithium batteries lose maximum power over time?

Lithium-ion batteries lose maximum power (or capacity) over time due to two main factors: chemical reactions within the battery and temperature.

Chemical reactions: During charging and discharging cycles, lithium ions move between the anode and cathode. Over time, some of these ions become trapped or form unwanted compounds, reducing the number available for future movement. This translates to a reduced capacity to store and deliver power.

Lithium-ion batteries rely on a dance of electrons and lithium ions (Li+) between two electrodes: the anode and the cathode. This movement is based on a concept called redox reactions, short for reduction-oxidation. Here’s a breakdown of the chemical reactions during charging and discharging:

Why do lithium batteries lose maximum power over time?

Why do lithium batteries lose maximum power over time?

Discharging (Using the Battery):

1. Oxidation at the Anode: Lithium atoms at the anode lose an electron, becoming positively charged lithium ions (Li+). This can be represented as: Li -> Li+ + e- (electron)
2. Lithium Ion Movement: The Li+ ions travel through a special separator to the cathode through a liquid or solid electrolyte solution.
3. Reduction at the Cathode: The cathode material accepts the Li+ ions and the electrons from the external circuit. This recharges the cathode and allows it to store energy. The specific reaction at the cathode depends on the cathode material, but it generally involves the reduction of a metal ion (e.g., Co⁴⁺) to a lower oxidation state (e.g., Co³⁺).

Why do lithium batteries lose maximum power over time?

Why do lithium batteries lose maximum power over time?

Charging (Re-filling the Battery):

1. Reverse Reactions: When you plug in the battery, the current flow reverses. The applied voltage forces the Li+ ions to flow back from the cathode to the anode. Electrons from the charger flow through the external circuit and into the anode.
2. Lithium Plating: Ideally, all the Li+ ions return to the anode. However, some may get stuck on the cathode or form unwanted compounds. This reduces the number of available ions for future use.

Overall: The back-and-forth movement of Li+ ions and electrons between the electrodes is what generates electricity during discharge and stores energy during charging. However, the side reactions and degradation of materials over time lead to a gradual decrease in the battery’s capacity.

Temperature: Extreme temperatures, especially heat, can accelerate the breakdown of the electrolyte, the material that shuttles ions between the electrodes. This breakdown also reduces the battery’s ability to hold a charge.

High temperatures are detrimental to lithium-ion batteries for a couple of reasons:

1. Accelerated Chemical Reactions: Heat acts like a catalyst, speeding up the natural chemical reactions happening within the battery. This includes the breakdown of the electrolyte, the solution that shuttles lithium ions between electrodes. As the electrolyte degrades, it becomes less efficient at its job, hindering the movement of ions and reducing the battery’s ability to hold a charge.
2. Increased Risk of Thermal Runaway: Lithium-ion batteries generate some heat during normal operation. At high temperatures, this internal heat generation rises. The problem is that the chemical reactions that store energy are also exothermic, meaning they release heat. In a dangerous scenario, this can create a vicious cycle. As the battery gets hotter, the reactions speed up, generating even more heat. If this heat cannot be dissipated effectively, it can lead to thermal runaway.

Thermal runaway is a cascading event where the battery’s temperature rises uncontrollably. This can cause the battery to vent flammable electrolytes, rupture, or even explode. While modern lithium-ion batteries have safety features to prevent this, extreme heat significantly increases the risk.

Here’s an analogy: Imagine the battery as a container with a chemical reaction happening inside. Normally, this reaction produces a small amount of heat, like a candle. High temperatures are like turning up the heat in the room. This speeds up the reaction, making it burn hotter (more heat generation). If not controlled, the reaction could become like a fire, burning out of control (thermal runaway).

To summarize, high temperatures stress lithium-ion batteries by accelerating their degradation and raising the risk of thermal runaway. Both factors contribute to reduced battery performance and lifespan.

In simpler terms, imagine the battery as a container for ping pong balls (lithium ions). Over time, some balls get stuck or lost, and heat can damage the container itself. This means there’s less space for balls to move around, reducing the overall capacity.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream, GAIL (India) Ltd, India’s largest natural gas company, has set up a green hydrogen plant that can produce 4.3 tonnes of hydrogen per day through 10 MW PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolyzer units.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream
Here are the key points:

• GAIL’s Green Hydrogen Plant:
  • Location: Vijaipur facility in Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • Production capacity: 4.3 tonnes of hydrogen per day.
  • Method: Electrolysis of water using renewable electricity (green hydrogen).
  • Purity: 99.999% (by volume).
  • Pressure: 30 kg/cm2.
  • Initial Use: Fuel for captive purposes at the Vijaipur plant, blending with natural gas.
  • Future Plans: Sell to nearby customers and transport via high-pressure cascades.
  • Renewable Energy Source: Open access and a new 20 MW solar power plant (ground-mounted and floating) at the Vijaipur facility.
• Other highlights in the article:
  • Criticism of blue hydrogen production (with methane emissions) – compared to green hydrogen.
  • Collaboration between T.E. H2 and Verbund to explore large-scale green hydrogen export from Tunisia to Central Europe.
  • PowerCell supplying fuel cell systems for a sustainable vessel project.
  • Switch Maritime’s hydrogen-powered ferry receiving approval for public service in the US.
  • Shell and H.D. Hyundai developing technologies for liquefied hydrogen carriers.pen_spark

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream
GAIL (India) Ltd, India’s largest natural gas company, has installed its first green hydrogen plant at its Vijaipur facility in Madhya Pradesh, marking its foray into new and alternate energy and in line with the National Green Hydrogen Mission.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

This green hydrogen plant can produce 4.3 tonnes of hydrogen per day through 10 MW PEM (proton exchange membrane) electrolyzer units. Green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis powered by electricity from renewable sources.

The plant can produce hydrogen at a high purity level of 99.999% (by vol.) and at a pressure of 30 kg/cm2.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

GAIL stated that initially, the hydrogen produced from this unit shall be used as a fuel along with natural gas for captive purposes in the various processes and equipment running in the existing plant at Vijaipur. Further, this hydrogen is planned to be dispensed to retail customers in the nearby geographies, and transported through high-pressure cascades.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

Besides sourcing renewable power through open access, GAIL is also setting up around 20 MW solar power plants at Vijaipur (both ground-mounted and floating) to meet the requirement of green power for the 10 MW PEM electrolyzer.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

https://lithiuminverter.in/news/going-green-with-lithium-batteries-for-inverter-systems/

https://lithiuminverter.in/news/going-green-with-lithium-batteries-for-inverter-systems/

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

T.E. H2 and Verbund have agreed to study the implementation of the H2 Notos green hydrogen project in Tunisia for large-scale pipeline exports to Central Europe. T.E. H2, a joint venture between TotalEnergies and the Eren Group, said that the H2 Notos project aims to produce green hydrogen by electrolyzing desalinated seawater using renewable electricity from onshore solar and wind farms. Initially, the project plans to produce 200,000 tons of green hydrogen per year, with potential expansion to 1 million tons in southern Tunisia. H2 Notos could benefit from the SoutH2 Corridor, a dedicated pipeline linking North Africa to Italy, Austria, and Germany, which is scheduled for commissioning around 2030.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

PowerCell has signed an order for two 100 kW marine fuel-cell systems from O.S. Energy for the Transship II sustainable vessel project. “This order represents a significant expansion of PowerCell’s offerings into the segment of smaller commercial and leisure vessels, including both retrofits and new builds, and shows that the technology is ready for wider uptake,” said Sweden-based PowerCell.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

Switch Maritime has secured a certificate of inspection (COI) from the US Coast Guard, allowing the Sea Change to begin zero-emission public ferry services. The vessel, powered by hydrogen fuel cells, can travel up to 300 nautical miles at speeds up to 15 knots. Switch Maritime said that Sea Change is the first hydrogen-fuel vessel in the United States to receive this approval.

GAIL Opens 10 MW Green Hydrogen Plant: The Hydrogen Stream

What is a Transformer?

What is Transformer?, A transformer is an electrical device that uses electromagnetic induction to pass an alternating current (AC) signal from one electric circuit to another, often changing (or “transforming”) the voltage and electric current. Transformers do not pass direct current (DC), and can be used to take the DC voltage (the constant voltage) out of a signal while keeping the part that changes (the AC voltage). In the electrical grid transformers are key to changing the voltages to reduce how much energy is lost in electrical transmission.

Transformers change the voltage of the electrical signal coming out of the power plant, usually increasing (also known as “stepping up”) the voltage. Transformers also reduce (“step down”) the voltage in substations, and as distribution transformers.^[2] Transformers are also used as a part of devices, like current transformers.

How transformers work

It often seems surprising that a transformer keeps the total power the same when the voltage goes up or down. One must keep in mind that when the voltage goes up, the current goes down:

What is Transformer?

Transformers use electromagnetic induction to change the voltage and current. The transformer action, known as transformer action, explains how the transformer converts an AC signal from its primary to its secondary component. When an AC signal is applied to the primary coil, the changing current causes a magnetic field to change (get bigger or smaller). This changing magnetic field (and associated magnetic flux) will pass through to the secondary coil inducing a voltage across the secondary coil, thereby effectively coupling the AC input from the primary to secondary component of the transformer. The voltage applied to the primary component will also be present in the secondary component.

As mentioned before, transformers do not allow DC input to flow through. This is known as DC isolation. This is because a change in current cannot be generated by DC; meaning that there is no changing magnetic field to induce a voltage across the secondary component.

What is Transformer?

The fundamental principle that allows transformers to change the voltage of alternating current is the direct relationship between the ratio of loops of wire in the primary winding to the secondary winding and the ratio of the primary voltage to the output voltage. The ratio between the number of turns (or loops) in the primary coil to the number of turns in the secondary coil is known as the turns ratio. The turns ratio establishes the following relationship with voltage:

• Please make a note of the following text: “Number of turns in the primary coil.”
• Please remember the following text: “Number of turns in the secondary coil.”
• Certainly! Here is the revised text: “Please remember the following text: “
• Certainly! Here is the revised text: “Please remember the following text: “
• Please remember the following text: “Voltage across the secondary.”
• “Please remember the following text: ‘Current through the primary.'”

From this equation, if the number of turns in the primary coil is greater than the number of turns in the secondary coil (), then the voltage across the secondary coil will be less than in the primary coil. This is known as a “step-down” transformer, because it lowers, or steps down, the voltage. The table below shows common types of transformers used on the electrical grid.

What is Transformer?

What is Transformer?

The one-to-one transformer will have equal values for everything and is used mainly to provide DC isolation.

A step-down transformer will have a higher primary voltage than secondary voltage, but a lower primary current value than its secondary component.

In the case of the step-up transformer, the primary voltage will be lower than the secondary voltage, meaning a greater primary current than the secondary component.

What is Transformer?

Efficiency

Under ideal conditions the voltage and current change by the same factor for any transformer, which explains why the primary power value is equal to the secondary power value for each case in the above table. As one value decreases the other increases to keep at a constant equilibrium power level.

Transformers can be extremely efficient. High-power transformers can reach the 99% mark of efficiency, as a result of successes in minimizing transformer losses. However, a transformer will always output a slightly lower power than its input, as losses cannot be eliminated. There is some transformer impedance.

To learn more about transformers please see hyperphysics.

The Importance of Inverter Battery Blast Protection

बम की तरफ फटेगी Inverter की Battery ! एक गलती से उड़ जाएंगे इसके परखच्चे

Inverter Battery Blast Protection: इन्वर्टर आपके लिए जितना मददगार साबित होता है ये उतना ही खतरनाक भी हो सकता है, दरअसल इन्वर्टर को अच्छे रख-रखाव की जरूरत पड़ती है. सही रख-रखाव के अभाव में इन्वर्टर की बैटरी दम तोड़ने लगती है. इतना ही नहीं कई बार तो बैटरी की स्थिति इतनी ज्यादा बिगड़ जाती है कि इसमें धमाका हो जाता है. ये धमाका बेहद ही खतरनाक साबित हो सकता है. ऐसा ना हो इस बात का ध्यान रखते हुए आज हम आपको बताने जा रहे हैं कि कैसे आप इन्वर्टर बैटरी ब्लास्ट को रोक सकते हैं.

पानी रीफिल करना है जरूरी 

इन्वर्टर बैटरी ब्लास्ट एक गंभीर खतरा है, लेकिन इसे उचित सावधानी और रखरखाव के साथ रोका जा सकता है।

इन्वर्टर बैटरी के पानी को रिफिल करने के बारे में:

• नियमित रूप से पानी का स्तर जांचें: बैटरी के लेबल पर दिए गए निर्देशों का पालन करें और यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए नियमित रूप से पानी का स्तर जांचें कि यह “मिनिमम” और “मैक्सिमम” स्तर के बीच में है।
• केवल डिस्टिल्ड वॉटर का उपयोग करें: नल के पानी या आरओ पानी में अशुद्धियां हो सकती हैं जो बैटरी को नुकसान पहुंचा सकती हैं। डिस्टिल्ड वॉटर सबसे अच्छा विकल्प है।
• धीरे-धीरे पानी भरें: बैटरी में पानी धीरे-धीरे और सावधानी से भरें, यह सुनिश्चित करते हुए कि यह ओवरफ्लो न हो।
• पानी भरने के बाद टर्मिनलों को साफ करें: पानी भरने के बाद, किसी भी अतिरिक्त पानी को पोंछने के लिए एक सूखे कपड़े का उपयोग करें

1. Introduction

2. What is a Battery Management System (BMS) and how Does It Work?

3. Structure and Components of a BMS

4. Key Functions of a BMS

5. Why a BMS is Critical for Residential Storage

6. Conclusion

Unleashing the Power: The Role of Battery Management Systems

Unleashing the Power: The Role of Battery Management Systems

1. Introduction

The growing deployment of lithium-ion batteries for residential energy storage is driven by their unmatched performance compared to lead-acid batteries. However, fully utilizing the capabilities of lithium-ion chemistry requires sophisticated battery management to ensure safe, optimal, and enduring operation. This is where Sunwoda Energy’s advanced built-in battery management system (BMS) technology comes into play.

Understanding what a BMS is and how it works is vital for both customers and installers as lithium-ion batteries continue to dominate in residential storage systems. This article will offer an in-depth look at lithium-ion battery management technology and why it is important for residential applications.

2. What Is a Battery Management System (BMS) And How Does It Work?

A Battery Management System (BMS) is an electronic system that acts like a babysitter for a rechargeable battery, whether it’s a single cell or a whole pack.

Here’s what a BMS typically does:

• Monitors the battery: The BMS keeps an eye on things like voltage, temperature, current flow, and how much charge is left in the battery (state of charge).
• Protects the battery: The BMS makes sure the battery operates within safe limits by preventing things like overcharging, over-discharging, overheating, and short circuits. This can extend the battery’s lifespan and keep it from being damaged.
• Optimizes performance: A BMS can help get the most out of a battery by managing how it’s charged and discharged. This can improve the battery’s range and efficiency.
• Reports battery status: The BMS can communicate with other devices, like a laptop or electric car controller, to let them know how the battery is doing.

Unleashing the Power: The Role of Battery Management Systems

Some BMS systems are more complex than others. A simple battery pack for a laptop might just have a basic protection circuit module (PCM) to prevent overcharging. More complex BMS systems, especially for things like electric vehicles, can do a lot more sophisticated monitoring and balancing to keep the battery healthy and functioning well.

Unleashing the Power: The Role of Battery Management Systems