Magnesium battery home energy storage

Could magnesium batteries power EVs?

With relatively low costs and a more robust supply chain than conventional lithium-ion batteries, magnesium batteries could power EVs and unlock more utility-scale energy storage, helping to shepherd more wind and solar energy into the grid. That depends on whether or not researchers can pick apart some of the technology obstacles in the way.

Are magnesium batteries more energy dense than lithium-ion batteries?

“The theoretical energy density [of magnesium batteries] is at least comparable to lithium-ion batteries, and there is the potential to realize a higher energy density than lithium because there are double the electrons for every individual magnesium ion, compared to lithium,” he said.

Are aqueous magnesium batteries a deal breaker?

Aqueous magnesium batteries are plagued by a number of challenges, including low voltage, which is a potential deal breaker. Nevertheless, so far the team has achieved an energy density of 75 watt-hours per kilogram, which team leader and RMIT Distinguished Professor Tianyi Ma describes as 30% of the density of the newest Tesla EV batteries.

What is a quasi-solid-state magnesium-ion battery?

We designed a quasi-solid-state magnesium-ion battery (QSMB) that confines the hydrogen bond network for true multivalent metal ion storage. The QSMB demonstrates an energy density of 264 W·hour kg −1, nearly five times higher than aqueous Mg-ion batteries and a voltage plateau (2.6 to 2.0 V), outperforming other Mg-ion batteries.

Are magnesium batteries still a thing?

Magnesium batteries have been talked up quite a bit since the early 2000s. They dropped off the CleanTechnica radar about five years ago, but some key advances are beginning to crop up, and now would be a good time to catch up (see our magnesium archive here).

Should magnesium batteries be added to the planet-saving toolkit?

Circling back to the benefits of adding magnesium batteries to the planet-saving toolkit, another factor to consider is the rapid acceleration of the energy storage field. In an interview published in 2022, Argonne National Laboratory chemist Brian Ingram noted lithium-ion batteries are doing just fine — for now.