Foundation Power’s open platform is highly flexible to allow for new and emerging technologies to join existing systems at work in the field.

Here are some of the benefits of these emerging battery and energy storage technologies:

• Higher energy densities. This means that they can store more energy in a smaller space, which is important for applications such as electric vehicles and grid storage.

• Lower costs. As these technologies mature, they are likely to become more affordable, making them more accessible to a wider range of applications.

• Improved safety. Some of these technologies, such as solid-state batteries, have the potential to be safer than traditional lithium-ion batteries.

• Extended lifespan. Some of these technologies, such as flow batteries, have the potential to have a longer lifespan than traditional lithium-ion batteries.

These emerging battery and energy storage technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we generate, store, and use energy. As they continue to develop, they will play an increasingly important role in our clean energy future.

Here are just a few of the technologies we are watching…

• Lithium-air batteries. These batteries use air as the cathode, which could potentially give them much higher energy densities than lithium-ion batteries. However, they are still in the early stages of development and there are challenges to overcome, such as safety and cost.

• Flow batteries. These batteries use two liquid electrolytes that are separated by a membrane. The electrolytes can be pumped into and out of the battery, which makes them scalable for large-scale applications. Flow batteries are also relatively safe and have a long lifespan.

• Supercapacitors. These devices store energy in an electric field. They have very high power densities, which makes them ideal for short-term applications such as load balancing and peak shaving.

• Lithium-sulfur batteries. These batteries use sulfur as the cathode, which is more abundant and less expensive than cobalt, which is a key component in lithium-ion batteries. They also have the potential to offer higher energy densities than lithium-ion batteries.

• Solid-state batteries. These batteries use a solid electrolyte instead of the liquid electrolyte used in lithium-ion batteries. This could make them safer and more stable, and they could also offer higher energy densities. However, solid-state batteries are still in the early stages of development.

• Metal-air batteries. These batteries use a metal, such as zinc or aluminum, as the anode. They have the potential to offer very high energy densities, but they are also very expensive.