Dear Reader,
Renewable energy from sources such as wind, waves, tides and the sun is plentiful - and the cost of capturing that enerygy is falling as technologies improve. Costs aside, however, there is another major challenge: storing that energy. Unlike fossil energy, it doesn’t come in a liquid form.
Hydrogen storage is one option. However, progress in this area has been slow. Hydrogen and fuel cell techologies are being used in stationary applications, but have not yet been comercialised on any scale for portable applications.
Batteries, long viewed as an auxiliary power source, are increasingly coming to the fore in a more central role.
Advanced battery technologies promise greater range for electric vehicles. Large storage batteries are being used for smoothing over the unpredictability of renewable energy. And micro batteries have emerged, opening up a host of new applications and promising to make energy harvesting a reality.
Energy storage or batteries might not be the most glamorous of sectors - but they are key to a future cleantech economy. Investment interest in batteries is high, driven by factors ranging from the Obama stimulus package in the US to Asia’s growing electric vehicle industry.
Battery technologies are advancing rapidly and the sector will play a pivotal role in the future. “Cleantech Infocus: Battery Technologies” aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the technologies, the companies and the investment themes.
Yours sincerely,
Anne McIvor
July 2009
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
