Batteries being developed in the Lehigh Valley could provide a safer, more efficient way to store power generated from renewable energy sources.
While zinc-air batteries are typically small and used for applications like powering hearing aids, Eos Energy Storage is working on a battery with enough power to serve as a backup for utilities. The company, which has a research and development office in Easton, has come up with a design for batteries that could be used in cars and commercial and industrial sites. However, Eos' focus is on marketing its battery as a way to store power from solar and wind farms. That means this electricity could be used more easily even on cloudy or still days.
“You could have batteries to stabilize the grid and fill in the gaps,” CEO Michael Oster says. “You could put it in a home. You could put it in an urban area or a suburban area. You could put it in a car.”
These batteries put the surrounding air to work on generating the necessary reactions to make them function. They would also be made of recyclable materials. Oster explains that they are safer than many batteries because they don't include any flammable or corrosive parts. Plus, Eos expects them to be able to last for three decades.
The company hopes to start manufacturing its batteries in 2013. It plans to build them in Pennsylvania, but hasn't yet picked an exact location.
Source: Michael Oster, Eos Energy Storage
Writer: Rebecca VanderMeulen