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Henry Craver's picture
Small Business Owner , Self-employed

As a small business owner, I'm always trying to find ways to cut costs and boost the dependability of my services. To that end, I've become increasingly invested in learning about energy saving...

  • Member since 2018
  • 839 items added with 394,835 views
  • Dec 17, 2021
  • 421 views

I'll believe it when I see it. 

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Bob Meinetz's picture
Bob Meinetz on Dec 17, 2021

"I'll believe it when I see it."

Love it, Henry. Never trust an optimist.

"In the battery, the paste is pumped to the membrane, where it reacts with a conductive zinc solution or zinc plate to produce electricity. Pumping the slurry mixture does require 8 to 50% more power than pumping liquid electrolytes."

"8 to 50% more power" lost is quite a spread. If we assume pumping liquid electric electrolytes steals 20% of our power in resistance losses, at least half of energy stored as molasses is wasted. Instead of 9 square miles of solar panels, we'd need 18 square miles  to get the same power back. $4 billion + molasses batteries, vs. $2 billion.

"Molasses-like material promises cheap, large-scale battery storage for wind and solar"? Maybe. But It isn't the molasses-like material that's doing the promising - just another optimist.

Henry Craver's picture
Thank Henry for the Post!
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