Periodic Reporting for period 3 - LOLABAT (Long LAsting BATtery)
Reporting period: 2023-07-01 to 2024-09-30
Transition to renewable energy sources is a critical step to slow down the climate changes, to overcome the energy crisis and to ensure energy independence between different regions of the world. Battery energy storage systems are currently seen as important technological enablers for increasing the absorption of renewables into the electric grid. Current generation Li-ion batteries, despite their success in electric mobility, may not be the ultimate solution for stationary storage. In addition, the growth of Li-ion battery market is not enough to meet the demand for stationary and e-mobility applications. New chemistries are needed. However, improvements in their performance, cost competitiveness and sustainability should be achieved. For the European Union, the complete batteries value chain and life cycle has to be considered, from access to raw material, over innovative advanced materials to modelling, production, recycling, second life, life cycle and environmental assessments. LOLABAT’s 17 stakeholders aim to develop a new promising battery chemistry, rechargeable NiZn. This battery has high energy and power and a low cost, while profiting from abundant and available raw materials, non-toxic elements, high safety, low risk of thermal runaway, limited environmental impact and high recycling potential. The LOLABAT’s achievements are: increase of the cycle life of NiZn (to 4000 cycles at 100% depth of discharge), upscaling of capacity, design and integration of Battery Management and sensors built
up in battery packs, validation of the technology at a Technological Readiness Level = 5 by testing and demonstration in stationary energy storage applications via five use cases in utility grid and
industrial sites, its preparation for a future industrialisation by realisation of life cycle and life cycle cost analyses, recycling studies, assessment of norms, standards and grid compliancy, realisation of
business model and market studies and finally an extensive dissemination and communication of the project results and NiZn technology.
up in battery packs, validation of the technology at a Technological Readiness Level = 5 by testing and demonstration in stationary energy storage applications via five use cases in utility grid and
industrial sites, its preparation for a future industrialisation by realisation of life cycle and life cycle cost analyses, recycling studies, assessment of norms, standards and grid compliancy, realisation of
business model and market studies and finally an extensive dissemination and communication of the project results and NiZn technology.
During the first period, the cost and cyclability were decreased and increased, respectively. 3800 cycles at 100% DoD at 1C-rate have been obtained for 8Ah cells coupled with 30% reduction in cost reaching an estimated price of 0.055/kWh/cycle a value very close to the objective of EU’s objective for 2030. A reduction of 25% in the life span as a result of upscaling the cell capacity from 8Ah to 100Ah has been concluded which could permit to develop cells/modules of 100Ah for the 5 usecases in LOALABAT, able to reach the requirements in terms of longevity for stationary applications. i. e. 6 years service without replacement, representing approximately more than 2200 cycles. Design finalization of four battery packs including BMS and safety functions for the user power interface have been developed with 10kWh and 2.5kWk battery pack design for each demo case of the project. A good balancing has been demonstrated for modules of 1.25kWh/KW as well as a high power efficiency. The safety/abuse tests performed on 100Ah cells and modules (1.25kWh/kW) proves the RNZB a highly safe and robust technology.
During the second reporting, the first battery packs of with integration of sensors and BMS have been tested and delivered with operating instructions and safety sheet to one of the project endusers. The studies on the membranes were accomplished, by providing interesting results on ageing mechanism of the membranes, and proposing synthesis routes for new membranes. The preliminary test results indicate a recycling efficiency which meets the target set for the project and demonstrates a high initial potential for recycling of Ni-Zn batteries. Positive outcome of recycling stage signifies a step forward in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices for Ni-Zn battery disposal and resource recovery. The Life Cycle Analysis studies conclude that the NiZn has values for Global Warming and Cumulative Demand between Lithium Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery while being very close to the Lithium Ion Battery figures. The Life Cycle Cost Analysis results highlights the economic viability of NiZn batteries. Compared to Lithium Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery, it has been concluded that the cheapest battery of all is NiZn.
During the last reporting, all the battery packs were tested and quality controlled before being sent to the end users in the project who succeeded to test and validate NiZn a technological Readiness Level = 5. The recycling studies and tests were accomplished by obtaining a recycling efficiency of the RNZB at 63% by a recycling method with a carbon footprint 38% lower than the state of the art process. An artificial intelligence-based algorithm that combines Life Cycle and Cost Analysis was provided to obtain the alternatives that minimize costs and environmental impact for a higher sustainability. An enhanced electrochemical 3D model on NiZn was developed at cell level. A methodology was developed to perform micro-computed X-Ray tomography measurements at electrode material and full cell level that could be used to reveal potential origins for the cell failure upon cycling and to explore the possibility to using this technique as a quality control tool for the manufacturing. A bottom-up approach for the development of Zn electrodes was developed, added to a low-cost electrochemical cell to conduct investigations under realistic conditions. SUPEHR conference was organised in LOLABAT consortium with several presentations and a workshop dedicated to LOLABAT. The project’s Final Event (Hybrid) was realised by invitation and presentations from not only LOLABAT partners, but also the sister projects, BRIDGE and BEPA. Several articles in peer-reviewed journals were published, added to application for several patents.
During the second reporting, the first battery packs of with integration of sensors and BMS have been tested and delivered with operating instructions and safety sheet to one of the project endusers. The studies on the membranes were accomplished, by providing interesting results on ageing mechanism of the membranes, and proposing synthesis routes for new membranes. The preliminary test results indicate a recycling efficiency which meets the target set for the project and demonstrates a high initial potential for recycling of Ni-Zn batteries. Positive outcome of recycling stage signifies a step forward in the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices for Ni-Zn battery disposal and resource recovery. The Life Cycle Analysis studies conclude that the NiZn has values for Global Warming and Cumulative Demand between Lithium Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery while being very close to the Lithium Ion Battery figures. The Life Cycle Cost Analysis results highlights the economic viability of NiZn batteries. Compared to Lithium Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery, it has been concluded that the cheapest battery of all is NiZn.
During the last reporting, all the battery packs were tested and quality controlled before being sent to the end users in the project who succeeded to test and validate NiZn a technological Readiness Level = 5. The recycling studies and tests were accomplished by obtaining a recycling efficiency of the RNZB at 63% by a recycling method with a carbon footprint 38% lower than the state of the art process. An artificial intelligence-based algorithm that combines Life Cycle and Cost Analysis was provided to obtain the alternatives that minimize costs and environmental impact for a higher sustainability. An enhanced electrochemical 3D model on NiZn was developed at cell level. A methodology was developed to perform micro-computed X-Ray tomography measurements at electrode material and full cell level that could be used to reveal potential origins for the cell failure upon cycling and to explore the possibility to using this technique as a quality control tool for the manufacturing. A bottom-up approach for the development of Zn electrodes was developed, added to a low-cost electrochemical cell to conduct investigations under realistic conditions. SUPEHR conference was organised in LOLABAT consortium with several presentations and a workshop dedicated to LOLABAT. The project’s Final Event (Hybrid) was realised by invitation and presentations from not only LOLABAT partners, but also the sister projects, BRIDGE and BEPA. Several articles in peer-reviewed journals were published, added to application for several patents.
LOLABAT project carried out by SUNERGY and the project partners brings to Europe a scientific advance on Rechargeable Nickel Zinc Battery technology with Intellectual Properties Rights to protect these improvements on a Zn-based technology identified as a promising new battery for stationary applications. The results obtained by LOLABAT project are clearly beyond the state of the art concerning the NiZn battery. Despite these results, the establishment of industrial production in Europe has not yet started, implying a delay compared to developments in the USA and China. However, the Rechargeable Nickel Zinc technology developed in LOLABAT could be considered as a replacement for NiCd battery with extra advantages: more performant, more environmentally friendly, cleaner, safer and cheaper. The results of the LOLABAT project are likely to change the hierarchy among the main battery systems, namely lithium-ion, lead-acid, NiCd and NiMH, producing a remarkable impact in this area. The NiZn developed during LOLABAT project is specifically designed to address the requirements of the stationary energy storage applications, to propose a better solution than Lithium-Ion Battery and Lead Acid Battery in this field. The rechargeable NiZn is a battery technology of the future, especially for stationary applications which necessarily require no compromise in terms of safety and environmental impact. The global hierarchy for this new technology is not yet fixed, which makes NiZn is a great opportunity to develop a European battery value chain for Battery Energy Storage Systems.