HW #11

Describe the physics and chemistry behind Li ion battery technology and describe the
current and potential role of batteries in utility-scale energy storage.

A Li-ion battery is essentially composed of three parts: positive electrode/cathode, negative

electrode/anode, and electrolyte. Generally the anode is a metal oxide, the electrolyte is a lithium
salt in an organic solvent, and the cathode is carbon. Since lithium is super reaction, a non
aqueous electrolyte needs to be used and the container that the system is in is usually very tightly
sealed to keep out moisture.
The battery works off of electrochemical reactions that occur with materials of the anode and
cathode which both contain lithium atoms. When a discharge occurs, the oxidation at the anode
creates positive lithium atoms and negative electrons. The lithium ions move through the
electrolyte while the electrons move through an external circuit. Recombination occurs at the
cathode with a reduction reaction. The reactions that occur during discharge lower the cell’s
chemical potential which allows transfer of energy from the cell to the external circuit. During
charging, the transports move in the opposite direction from the positive cathode to the anode.
The external circuit has to provide energy for charging which is stored as chemical energy in the
cell. So discharge means that the positive lithium ions move from the anode to cathode while the
electrons flow through the external circuit in the same direction. And charging means the reverse
with a net higher energy state.
Batteries are probably one of the more popular options considered for utility scale energy
storage. This is probably because of several reasons. Stationary batteries can be connected to
distribution networks or power generation assets. The capacity has a large range from several
MWh to hundreds. This increases flexibility in certain systems especially those that have
problems with variability/intermittency such as PV and wind. Batteries have the advantage of
geographic and sizing flexibility compared to other popular options such as pumped hydro and
compressed air since these require certain conditions with scale. With such advantages, the
potential for batteries in the future is pretty significant. The only thing that stands in the way are
things such as investment costs as well as a regulatory framework/infrastructure.