Source：pv magazine

Chemical battery storage, led by lithium, has made such significant strides in terms of cost, capacity and technology that batteries are now positioned to accelerate our already exponential solar growth.

Image: Commercial Solar Guy

“But what happens when the sun goes down?” This age-old refrain now has a definitive answer: “Batteries take over.”

Throughout 2023 and 2024, lithium-based batteries have evolved from being merely useful, and somewhat expensive, to being on the brink of affordability and widespread deployment. This transformation has been driven by substantial reductions in cost and increases in manufacturing and deployment volumes.

But before we dive into those details, let’s first discuss why batteries are such a useful technology.

Imagine batteries as spacecraft or missiles, adjusting their trajectory with precise, quick bursts of energy. In astronautics, this is known as a “reaction control system,” an essential technology since the days of the first Apollo missions. Similarly, batteries are capable of delivering precise amounts of energy within milliseconds. This capability proved crucial when the world’s first large-scale battery installation prevented a blackout in Australia by responding more rapidly than traditional power plants could.

With their microsecond response times, batteries provide ultra-precise energy outputs that are critical in moments of sudden demand. This rapid response allows batteries to act more quickly than the slower, more cumbersome responses of traditional fossil-fueled plants. Recognizing the advantages of this rapid response, Australia was able to significantly shorten the required reaction time for power plants from 30 minutes to just 5 minutes.