The Climate Question

How quickly is battery technology advancing?


Listen Later

The need to be able to store electricity as part of our low carbon future, has increased dramatically as the use of renewable energy has expanded. Both solar and wind energy rely on sunlight and weather, only providing intermittent power. Electric cars need to be able to travel greater distances on one charge and cost less to have mass market appeal. It’s clear batteries are a key - but evolving - technology. Improvements still need to be made to their safety, power and cost.

Megawatt batteries are being built in many countries, in a step toward creating a renewable energy back-up for the grid. But these batteries are made using Lithium, which is limited because of their size, the length of their lifespan, and their track record in causing fires.

We look at the limitations of the batteries that exist right now, and what new technology in the field is expected to bring in the coming 10 to 15 years. We also visit a hydro-pump powered energy storage system in Israel, where the company, Augwind, is developing an interesting alternative to electric batteries.

Presenters Kate Lamble and Jordan Dunbar are joined by:

Susan Babinec is Program Lead in Energy Storage at the Argonne National Laboratory

Sandra Chavez is Director Partnerships at Powerhouse
Gary Yang is Founder of UniEnergy Technologies
Eshhar Chetsrony is the VP Business Development at Augwind

Producer: Dearbhail Starr

Reporter: Roni Dori
Researchers: Lizzie Frisby
Series Producer: Alex Lewis and Rosamund Jones
Editor: Emma Rippon
Sound Engineer: Andrew Garratt

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Climate QuestionBy BBC World Service

  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4
  • 4.4

4.4

158 ratings


More shows like The Climate Question

View all
In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,426 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,807 Listeners

Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,657 Listeners

Science Weekly by The Guardian

Science Weekly

407 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,747 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,066 Listeners

Science In Action by BBC World Service

Science In Action

345 Listeners

Climate One by Climate One from The Commonwealth Club

Climate One

560 Listeners

Witness History by BBC World Service

Witness History

959 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,062 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,041 Listeners

BBC Inside Science by BBC Radio 4

BBC Inside Science

398 Listeners

The Inquiry by BBC World Service

The Inquiry

754 Listeners

CrowdScience by BBC World Service

CrowdScience

476 Listeners

People Fixing the World by BBC World Service

People Fixing the World

242 Listeners

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast by Persephonica and Global Optimism

Outrage + Optimism: The Climate Podcast

449 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

702 Listeners

All Things Sustainable by S&P Global

All Things Sustainable

59 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

2,988 Listeners

Climate Rising by Harvard Business School Business & Environment Initiative

Climate Rising

75 Listeners

The world, the universe and us by New Scientist

The world, the universe and us

107 Listeners

Zero: The Climate Race by Bloomberg

Zero: The Climate Race

195 Listeners

The Global Story by BBC World Service

The Global Story

142 Listeners

Rare Earth by BBC Radio 4

Rare Earth

12 Listeners