How will you store your captured energy to keep your Christmas lights this year?
We’re all getting into using renewable energy in our homes and it certainly helps reduce the bills which is helpful at Christmas with all the extra lights!
The question is, how do you store that captured energy to keep those cheerful Christmas lights going for the season? Well, the key may be Nickel – Iron batteries developed over a century ago by Thomas Edison. Modern examples of these batteries are gradually replacing lead-acid batteries especially for solar PV.
Unlike lead-acid batteries, they are highly reliable, featuring a longer service life and pollution-free operation. Some of these batteries which are over 50 years of age are still working well. In some cases lead acid batteries need to be replaced every 10years or less.
As for the lithium-ion batteries they are excellent for electric vehicles and bikes but not quite ready for large stationary storage applications.
For lead-acid batteries there is the critical issue of what harm their chemical compositions can cause to the environment.
Nickel-Iron batteries don’t use toxic metals such as lead and cadmium. Nickel-Iron batteries aren’t environmentally perfect, either, but they are far less toxic. The real environmental benefits come down to the fact that we don’t replace a Nickel-Iron batteries and we only need to refresh the liquid electrolyte ever 7-10 years.
In developing countries where there are no significant recycling efforts, lead batteries present a major environmental hazard. The number of lead-acid batteries being used in China for electric bikes and cars, for example, is huge – most of which don’t get recycled, and are often simply tossed away, where they can leach toxic contents into water tables.
So regardless of power cuts – no wind or sun – an updated 100 year old technology can guarantee an illuminated trouble free happy Christmas.
Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!
