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Advanced battery technologies currently under development include:
- Lithium-ion (funded by DOE)
- Lithium polymer
- Nickel metal hydride
- Sodium sulfur (developed in Japan)
Rechargeable lithium batteries are a very promising new energy storage technology. Lithium-ion batteries in laptop computers, for example, can provide twice as much operating time as conventional batteries. Researchers have been exploring ways to develop this technology by studying how thin films of vanadium oxide improve the charge capacity and durability of these batteries.
Advantages
Advanced batteries offer vastly smaller "footprints" (i.e., they take up less space) and have excellent maintenance characteristics. New versions will offer longer lifetimes, greater operating ranges, and significantly less maintenance, making them more suitable for remote locations. Sodium sulfur batteries operate at high temperatures, and have proven safe under extreme conditions.
Such systems could go far in increasing electricity reliability and protecting the most vulnerable industries such as semiconductor and pharmaceutical plants.
Disadvantages
Advanced batteries tend to be much too expensive for large-scale applications.
Applications
Advanced batteries are being used in automobiles and for power quality and backup purposes at manufacturing plants. They can supply active and reactive power to mitigate voltage sags and frequency fluctuations.
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