This morning the earth2tech blog has another really interesting article by Josie Garthwaite on progress in battery technology for energy storage, and the implications for other parts of the alternative energy industry. This is a topic we spoke about earlier; the need for energy storage and some of the novel technologies being applied, including graphene based ultracapacitors. This is an exciting avenue and critical to both the “smart grid” and practical expansion of electric vehicles.
It is great to see the increasing attention and the number of startups emerging out of stealth that address this area. This article points contrasts batteries versus ultracapacitors, of the type discussed with respect to Graphene Energy and the ultra-stealthy EEStor. While the technical distinction is important, we are inclined to believe both are immediately applicable in the market and the utility of utracapacitors in cars and local energy storage is really a system design question; both will have a role. Another emerging supplier that came to our attention today is EcoVoltz, (warning: website not for the stock photography adverse), which is focused in Li-ion battery technology for alternative energy storage. Battery technology, while more mature, certainly has a long-way to go technologically. New materials, designs, control and monitoring technologies appropriate for industrial consumption are just beginning to emerge.
The most encouraging aspect from our perspective is that the rate of change in this area is strong and positive. Add the incremental emergence of these stealth companies and investor resolve will continue to grow – important to any enabling technology that otherwise might die on the vine.
