The Most Ethical Renewable Energy Systems
The main thing in renewable energy systems is the embodied energy: the energy over the lifetime of the product versus the energy of manufacturing it. Lithium batteries are used a lot because they are lightweight, but they don’t last. Lead-acid batteries, like car batteries, are also short-lived. An old technology, the nickel-iron battery, lasts a long time.
Lithium batteries are great when there might be a space or weight issue, but they are consumable products. Lead-acid batteries decays as they give energy. The nickel-iron battery powered the first electric cars, some of which had batteries that worked over 100 years later. These are not acid, but alkaline, made with a potassium hydroxide mix.
While they are only 1.2 volts, which means a lot of batteries and a lot weight, in a stationary situation, such as a house, the embodied energy is much, much better in nickel-iron batteries.
Key Takeaways:
– Renewable energy is best judged via embodied energy: the amount of energy it provides over a lifetime versus the amount used to produce the system.
– Lithium and lead-acid batteries both have short lifespans, decreasing their embodied energy, and as a result, they create more waste.
– Nickel-iron batteries, a very old technology, lasts an incredibly long time and have much more embodied energy.
-In a stationary situation, such as powering a house, nickel-iron batteries, though they require more space and weigh more, are a more ethical choice.
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I don’t know much about electronics, so the question: is it neccesary to use special 1.2V Products or is it possible to convert it? Just curious, if it makes sence to buy such a battery nowadays….
Hi SIBELIUS,
1.2 volt cells are connected in series to provide higher voltages. Example 10 cells would give 12 volts.
Next time you see a car hood up, have a look at the 12 volt lead acid battery and you will see it made up of 6 smaller cells, at 2 volt each, providing the 12 volts.
I’m sure you also have had items that take multiple AA batteries, same deal. 2 AA 1.5V batteries in series for 3V, etc.
Interesting, thank you for sharing, but it seems to me that it’s quite difficult to find them, isn’t it?
The only electrical issue with nickel iron batteries is that they require a higher charging voltage per cell than lead acid batteries which most battery chargers can’t do. The simple way around this issue is to use only 19 batteries in a 24 volt system (or 38 in a 48 volt system) instead of the 20 x 1.2 volts you would expect to use. The 22 volt system is easily handled by inverters, still producing 240 volts. This increases the charging voltage per cell when using a charger designed to charge lead acid batteries.
Type Iron Edison into your search engine. An American company that sells them. Although they are Chinese.