Conclusions
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16.3 Batteries and Electric Power Management
As the fraction of electricity produced from wind and solar power generation increases, the challenge of effectively using all of the electricity
that is generated must be addressed. The issues of demand management
(Chapters 7– 9) include a constellation of improvements and additions to the
electrical grid, producing the so- called smart grid. This smart grid is necessary for effective power management, either within a large system such as
a city or in smaller “off- grid” systems that must be efficient and responsive
on their own. The fluctuations in power supply from wind and solar energy
generation make battery storage a key part of electric power management.
The decrease in battery costs is, of course, beneficial here, as it allows for
more capacity and lower costs to address issues in storing energy for grid
management of supply and demand. Larger, more efficient, and less expensive batteries also have implications for electric vehicles (EVs), both in terms
of their appeal and their potential for interacting with the smart grid.
The prices of batteries, both for EVs and electrical energy storage, have
decreased from about $1000/ kWh in 2010 to less than $200/ kWh in 2018.
Because of rapidly falling battery prices, new developments, and new models,
consumers have many different models of EVs to choose from. New global EV
sales reached more than 2 million electric cars for the first time in 2018 (Loveday,
2019). The prices of batteries are expected to continue to decrease, and batteries
are becoming a logical choice to store energy when the electrical grid has energy
that needs to be stored. As research on batteries continues, we can expect additional progress in materials, energy density, cost, and durability.
16.4 Electrification of Transportation
The electrification of transportation is very quickly developing into more than
just electric cars. Since transportation is one of the most significant sources
of air pollution, the progress in developing electric cars, buses, trucks, and
bicycles holds great value for society. Those benefits, relative to conventional
transportation, multiply if the vehicle batteries are charged with electricity
from renewable energy.
The transition to electric buses is in progress in 2019, and it is already clear
that it is able to provide great benefits not only to people who ride electric
buses but to all the people around them who experience better air quality.
The decisions that are being made to transition to electric buses are based on
reduced air pollution, a quieter ride, and reduced maintenance costs (RTA,
2019). For every 1000 electric buses, about 500 barrels of diesel fuel are not
combusted each day (RTA, 2019). We can see this in China, for instance,
153
1 5 3
16.3 Batteries and Electric Power Management
As the fraction of electricity produced from wind and solar power generation increases, the challenge of effectively using all of the electricity
that is generated must be addressed. The issues of demand management
(Chapters 7– 9) include a constellation of improvements and additions to the
electrical grid, producing the so- called smart grid. This smart grid is necessary for effective power management, either within a large system such as
a city or in smaller “off- grid” systems that must be efficient and responsive
on their own. The fluctuations in power supply from wind and solar energy
generation make battery storage a key part of electric power management.
The decrease in battery costs is, of course, beneficial here, as it allows for
more capacity and lower costs to address issues in storing energy for grid
management of supply and demand. Larger, more efficient, and less expensive batteries also have implications for electric vehicles (EVs), both in terms
of their appeal and their potential for interacting with the smart grid.
The prices of batteries, both for EVs and electrical energy storage, have
decreased from about $1000/ kWh in 2010 to less than $200/ kWh in 2018.
Because of rapidly falling battery prices, new developments, and new models,
consumers have many different models of EVs to choose from. New global EV
sales reached more than 2 million electric cars for the first time in 2018 (Loveday,
2019). The prices of batteries are expected to continue to decrease, and batteries
are becoming a logical choice to store energy when the electrical grid has energy
that needs to be stored. As research on batteries continues, we can expect additional progress in materials, energy density, cost, and durability.
16.4 Electrification of Transportation
The electrification of transportation is very quickly developing into more than
just electric cars. Since transportation is one of the most significant sources
of air pollution, the progress in developing electric cars, buses, trucks, and
bicycles holds great value for society. Those benefits, relative to conventional
transportation, multiply if the vehicle batteries are charged with electricity
from renewable energy.
The transition to electric buses is in progress in 2019, and it is already clear
that it is able to provide great benefits not only to people who ride electric
buses but to all the people around them who experience better air quality.
The decisions that are being made to transition to electric buses are based on
reduced air pollution, a quieter ride, and reduced maintenance costs (RTA,
2019). For every 1000 electric buses, about 500 barrels of diesel fuel are not
combusted each day (RTA, 2019). We can see this in China, for instance,