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Politics : Rat's Nest - Chronicles of Collapse -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Wharf Rat who wrote (9591)	10/7/2009 12:53:44 AM
From: Wharf Rat	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24213

Eestor watch out! IBM is building a next gen battery too by Matt Jansen (video at link) The recent advent of electric and hybrid cars to mainstream consumers is driving an intense interest in battery technology. Eestor has secretively been working on an ultracapacitor battery it claims will eclipse current lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Though the company has built volumes of buzz by keeping the curtain low, IBM is stealing some thunder with its commitment to create a battery that will enable 500 miles of travel on single charge. That’s right in line with claims Eestor has made for a long time, but IBM intends to research lithium-air technology with a project it’s calling the Battery 500. The reality is that gasoline and petroleum products still store far more energy than current battery technology, and IBM (like Eestor and many others) recognize that this is a pivotal business opportunity wrapped with some awesome green publicity. In order to make 500 miles on a single battery charge possible, IBM will be tracking toward an energy density of 1500 to 2000 watt hours per kilogram. As a comparison, current Tesla cars have an energy density of about 150 watt hours per kilogram. Lithium-air batteries have lots of potential because of their ability to use oxygen as part of the chemical reaction that generates electricity. It’s similar to how the combustion engine utilizes oxygen in the atmosphere to facilitate its explosions. Things get even more interesting when IBM makes a point that nanotechnology is playing a significant role in how batteries function because most of the research is taking place at the atomic level. Lithium-air is currently a technology in its infancy and the Battery 500 project is aimed at solving some of its challenges. Going back in history to a time with similar challenges, the first automobiles began to appear on the streets and more were powered by electricity than by gasoline, according to IBM. Soon though, the need for more cheaper fuel and longer travel distances drove the adoption of gasoline. Fast forward to today and we’re addressing the same problem only with slightly different tools. With companies like IBM pushing for innovation in this space, we may begin to see some visible progress and perhaps a little more competition with ninja secret companies like Eestor. taintedgreen.com