Production of Liquid Metal Battery Begins

author: FutureCar Staff    

The field of clean energy generation is filled with promises of new technologies, but many of them never make it to production. Whether it's due to cost issues, production challenges, or scalability problems, breakthroughs in the industry often fail to materialize. Technologies like multi-layered solar panels, wave and tidal energy, and hydrogen fuel cells, while real, struggle to compete with lower cost and proven alternatives. However, one technology that seems to be defying this trend is the liquid metal battery, which startup Ambri plans to implement on the electrical grid next year.

Ambri's battery technology is already poised to disrupt the market, with a cost of around half that of lithium ion batteries, which typically cost around $405 per kilowatt-hour. The construction method of Ambri's batteries is simpler and more durable, using molten metal electrodes and a molten salt electrolyte. Unlike lithium ion batteries, Ambri's batteries are not flammable and are largely resistant to degradation over time. According to the company's testing results, the battery is expected to retain 95% of its capacity even after 20 years. The only potential challenge in scaling this technology could be sourcing antimony, one of the metals required for construction.

While Ambri can currently produce their batteries for $180 to $250 per kilowatt-hour, they aim to reduce costs to around $20 in order to compete with "base load" power plants. It is worth noting that the term "base load" is considered outdated. Ambri projects significant cost reductions by 2030, which would pave the way for electrical grids to be powered entirely by renewables. However, liquid metal batteries are not the only nontraditional battery technology attempting to address this challenge. Another promising energy storage technology on the horizon is phase-change materials.

FutureCar Staff