Sustainability Problem:
Currently used batteries such as lithium-ion and lead acid batteries take hours to charge and have short lifespan for charging and discharging. They can also be harmful to the environment. Lithium-ion batteries are unstable and can explode and cause fire.
Technology:
Graphene battery storage is under production at Graphenano, a Spanish based company that develops diffierent technologies using graphene. Graphene is a monolayer carbon lattice that is harder than diamond. These new battery offers much higher energy density than Lithium-ion (1000 Wh/kg vs. 200Wh/kg on a Tesla Model S), has no fire or explosion danger unlike Li-ion, and charges in minutes, lasts longer , and 3 to 5 times smaller than Li-ion battery.
These battery can be used for electric bikes, electric motorcycles, and to store solar energy. Grabat company shows advantages of graphene-based battery over other batteries:
Sources:
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/graphene-battery-too-good-to-be-true
Stakeholders:
- Graphenano, Grabat, Chint companies
- bicyclists, motorcycle drivers
- residential solar system owners
- researchers
- government
Implementation:
- More media exposure to encourage attractiveness of graphene-based battery to the public.
- Full production of the battery will be underway by October.
- Continuous research to improve this battery to lower its cost.