Solar power 24/7 made possible

A team of UniSA researchers in partnership with a WA company has been awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project funding to develop a new membrane for a zinc bromine battery that could provide Australia with renewable energy storage to supplement mains electricity and to power electric cars.

Zinc bromine batteries (ZBBs) are energy storage systems that are environmentally friendly, cost effective and reliable.

Project team leader Prof Namita Choudhury from the Ian Wark Research Institute claims the answer to improving the performance of ZBBs lies in satisfactorily reducing the bromine diffusion across the membrane inside the battery.

"We are working to create a new highly efficient membrane with excellent selectivity that will better control the rate at which the chemicals mix, improving battery life and recharge performance," Choudhury said.

ZBBs can be used to supplement existing mains power distribution in metropolitan and rural areas, on sites where electricity is not available, as a backup to intermittent wind, solar and wave supplies and in electric vehicles.

"It is always exciting to see this kind of growth in research capacity, not only because it rewards the ongoing efforts of individual researchers and their teams, but because it is great for the innovative capacity and quality of life in Australia," said UniSA vice chancellor, Prof Peter Høj.

A team of UniSA researchers in partnership with a WA company has been awarded Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project funding to develop a new membrane for a zinc bromine battery that could provide Australia with renewable energy storage to supplement mains electricity and to power electric cars.

Zinc bromine batteries (ZBBs) are energy storage systems that are environmentally friendly, cost effective and reliable.

Project team leader Prof Namita Choudhury from the Ian Wark Research Institute claims the answer to improving the performance of ZBBs lies in satisfactorily reducing the bromine diffusion across the membrane inside the battery.

"We are working to create a new highly efficient membrane with excellent selectivity that will better control the rate at which the chemicals mix, improving battery life and recharge performance," Choudhury said.

ZBBs can be used to supplement existing mains power distribution in metropolitan and rural areas, on sites where electricity is not available, as a backup to intermittent wind, solar and wave supplies and in electric vehicles.

"It is always exciting to see this kind of growth in research capacity, not only because it rewards the ongoing efforts of individual researchers and their teams, but because it is great for the innovative capacity and quality of life in Australia," said UniSA vice chancellor, Prof Peter Høj.