Inventor of clean Belgian super battery wants to build a factory in the Netherlands
247 Energy's super batteries are delivered in containers
A clean super battery that charges 20 times faster and lasts 100 times longer than a lithium-ion battery, does not catch fire nor explodes, is non-toxic and can be recycled more easily. 247 Energy makes and sells it on the basis of a technique from 1775. Within a few years the company wants to build a factory for it in the Benelux, also looking at the Netherlands.
The fight against climate change requires that CO2 is no longer emitted by 2050. That is why the world must move away from fossil fuels and towards green energy. The transition to wind and solar energy requires that the sustainably generated electricity can be stored for dark and windless periods. But also to absorb peak loads on the grid or to supply power in remote places where there are no pipes and cables.
Store green energy everywhere
In addition to hydrogen and other green technologies, batteries and accumulators play an essential role in this. Also for the electrification of transport and mobility. The mission of 247 Energy[1] is to help reduce the world's CO2 emissions by 100 percent and to ensure that green electricity can be stored and used everywhere when and where it is needed. Not for a few days, but for as long as it takes. To this end, it is launching an environmentally friendly super battery based on capacitor technology. The company, founded in 2017, has its headquarters in Beveren in Belgium and has also been active on the Dutch market since June this year.
Disturbance to lithium batteries
“There are two major problems with sustainable energy. The grid congestion and the peaks and troughs in generation. Our batteries can bring more balance to the electricity grid and store green energy. Solar parks are currently producing enormous overcapacity. You have to store it in super batteries and take it where it is needed. What bothers me is that we are still fully committed to lithium batteries. I have more believe in our battery technology,” says Arie Smits, who recently became a technical consultant for 247 Energy in the Netherlands.
1.6 megawatts in battery container
He was director of a large contractor for 25 years, then switched to Warmtebedrijf Westland[2] and became an advisor for the energy transition. Together with director of business development Jan Horyon, he works from an office in Eindhoven for 247 Energy. The company supplies batteries of all shapes and sizes, from home batteries with a capacity of 5.6 kilowatts to complete 40-foot containers with a storage capacity of up to 1.6 megawatts. You can also stack them again to greater capacities. The batteries are used as rechargeable batteries for trucks, forklifts, cranes or other machines and in containers for shipping or industry. But also for the storage of energy from wind and solar parks.
The 247 Energy container with the so-called 'supercap' or super battery
Factory in Benelux
The batteries of 247 Energy are still produced outside Europe, but the company wants to move that production in this direction. “We want to be independent as soon as possible and produce batteries within the Benelux,” says Smits. "We are starting with a factory that can produce 1 gigawatt of battery power. It will be operational within 2.5 years. After that, we want to scale up to 16 gigawatts. We are also looking at whether we can build a factory in the Netherlands." According to him, 247 Energy will invest about 200 million euros in its first factory.
Generator sets on LNG
In addition to battery containers, 247 Energy supplies self-developed containers with generators that can generate energy in remote locations. Often both a generator and a battery are supplied. At the moment they still work on LNG, which emits 25 percent less CO2 than fossil fuel and no nitrogen or particulate matter, but eventually the company wants to switch to green hydrogen. “We would prefer to switch now, but green hydrogen is not yet available in such large quantities,” says Smits. Sometimes it can be done with a little power with only a battery. For a large construction company that did not receive a large-scale consumer connection on the construction site from the grid operator, the company installed a super battery that charged electricity at night on the small connection. “That was enough to run all the cranes the next day,” says Smits.
Lithium and cobalt pollute
According to him, the current battery technology is not sustainable, unsafe, environmentally polluting and not efficient enough for the energy transition. The most commonly used battery is currently the lithium-ion battery, followed by the cobalt battery. However, the use of lithium[3] and cobalt[4] has all kinds of drawbacks. The mines[5] where the metals are mined emit a lot of CO2 and nitrogen, are located in countries with corrupt regimes and poor working conditions and pollute the air, water and soil. For example, making 1 ton of lithium requires 2 million litres of water. In addition, only 2 percent of all lithium is currently recycled into new products.
Fire hazard
And that's not all. Due to the growing demand for batteries, there is not enough lithium in stock. The price of a ton of lithium has increased fivefold in the past four years. Moreover, it is a toxic substance[6], which should not end up in the environment. Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries can catch fire or even explode if they get too hot. For example, if electric cars catch on fire, the fire service has to submerge them in a container of water[7] for days. That is also the reason that these batteries may not be used around chemical companies or fire hazard locations. In addition, these types of batteries only store energy for a few days and you cannot use them to bridge weeks or months without much sun or wind.
Battery technology from 1775
That must be possible, thought 247 Energy and that is possible. All over the world, research is being done into new battery technologies. One such technique is based on old-fashioned capacitors, that were invented as early as 1775[8] by the Italian scientist Alessandro Volta[9]. Simply put, a device consisting of two conductors of relatively large surface area separated by a non-conductive material or vacuum. Opposing electrical charges can be stored on both sides. “The technology has improved considerably in recent years. The big advantage is that no lithium or cobalt is used," says Smits. "That's why everyone is working on this technology, including in China and the United States."
Battery lasts 45 years
247 Energy uses supercapacitors in its batteries based on graphene nanotubes with an intelligent software layer, so-called solid state capacitors. These nanocomposites are a hundred times stronger than steel and can store a hundred times more energy than conventional electrolytic capacitors. The technology has many more sustainable advantages compared to lithium-ion batteries. A lithium-ion battery lasts a maximum of 5000 to 8000 cycles, while the super capacitor can be charged and discharged a million times and lasts at least 45 years. After that, it is 100 percent recyclable. There are no hazardous substances and chemicals in it and therefore the battery is not flammable or explosive. “As a result, the chemical industry can also use the battery,” says Smits. Another big advantage is that it charges and discharges 20 times faster than a traditional battery.
Interest from inland shipping
This makes it interesting for Dutch inland shipping, which has been looking for cleaner fuels and engines for years[10]. Various grants are available for this. Many ships already sail electrically on LNG or diesel generators. MENENS research project has received a 24 million euro subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to investigate the use of methanol[11] as an alternative fuel. The 247 Energy super battery can charge electrically powered barges with a battery on board, that dock at a container terminal or port, with 1 to 1.6 megawatts within fifteen to thirty minutes. Without having to replace the battery container on board. This can happen during loading and unloading. Then the ship sails at full speed to the next stop, where it is recharged.
Chicken or the egg
Some Dutch shipping companies are interested in this. In inland shipping, however, there is often a 'chicken-or-the-egg' situation. Ships want to sail greener, but there is no loading capacity. Green energy providers complain that there are still too few ships that want to use it. “Companies often wait. That is why it is slowly getting off the ground," says Smits. “We are now negotiating with two major shipping companies to apply our technology.”
Source
André Oerlemans, Bedenker van schone Belgische superbatterij wil fabriek bouwen in Nederland, in: ChangeInc, 28-8-2022, https://www.change.inc/energie/schone-belgische-superbatterij-wil-fabriek-bouwen-in-nederland-38801
[1] Our Concept? A containerized 0.5-2 Mw power plant based on Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) or Liquid H2 to supply electricity, heat and/or cooling used as redundant off-grid solution, low carbon footprint & low running cost. 247 can be used as permanent power source for industrial sites, residential buildings, small remote villages, airports, sea-ports, hospitals, or as solar/ wind farm backup. https://247.energy/
[2] Warmtebedrijf Westland is an initiative of and for Westland entrepreneurs. Together we ensure a sustainable Westland; a thriving greenport to work and live in. And we are not only talkers, but also doers. We offer an innovation that makes greenhouse horticulture gas-free and future-proof. An affordable energy solution for Westland entrepreneurs, without major upfront investments. Connected to our open heat network from the port of Rotterdam, growers can use sustainable heat sources instead of gas. Our ambition is to connect the region to heat, CO2, irrigation water and fiberglass from 21 October 2022. https://www.warmtewestland.nl/over-ons/
[3] Why is lithium extraction bad for the environment? Any type of resource extraction is harmful to the planet. This is because removing these raw materials can result in soil degradation, water shortages, biodiversity loss, damage to ecosystem functions and an increase in global warming. https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/02/01/south-america-s-lithium-fields-reveal-the-dark-side-of-our-electric-future#:~:text=Why%20is%20lithium%20extraction%20bad,an%20increase%20in%20global%20warming.
[4] Oak Ridge National Laboratory researchers have developed a new family of cathodes with the potential to replace the costly cobalt-based cathodes typically found in today’s lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and consumer electronics. The new class called NFA, which stands for nickel-, iron- and aluminum-based cathode, is a derivative of lithium nickelate and can be used to make the positive electrode of a lithium-ion battery. These novel cathodes are designed to be fast charging, energy dense, cost effective, and longer lasting. https://www.ornl.gov/news/new-class-cobalt-free-cathodes-could-enhance-energy-density-next-gen-lithium-ion-batteries
[5] The government's climate measures are leading to a sharp increase in the need for special materials and the associated mining. This is especially the case in the production of solar panels and electric cars. The large-scale mining required for this usually takes place under poor working conditions and in vulnerable natural areas and poses a threat to nature and biodiversity. https://www-klimaatfeiten-nl.translate.goog/maatregelen/milieu-aspecten/mijnbouw?_x_tr_sl=nl&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=nl
[6] The following UN codes are involved for lithium-ion batteries: 3480, 3481 or 3536. Lithium-ion batteries are listed in the ADR in paragraph 2.2.9.1.7. It contains conditions for the transport of the batteries. This means that they fall under the definition of hazardous substance from the Activities Decree and the Bor. https://www.infomil.nl/%40217276/opslag-lithium-ion-batterijen/
[7] It is only a few millimeters long, made of wafer-thin glass and filled with a brown liquid: the E-Bulb. The E stands for electric, the Bulb for glass tube, and it is nothing but the smallest fire extinguisher in the world, especially for EVs. The German company Job developed the device, of which half a million are now produced every day. They are mainly used in sprinkler systems of underground garages, in factory halls and in the maritime industry. https://www.world-today-news.com/worlds-smallest-fire-extinguisher-to-make-unextinguishable-electric-car-safe-car/
[8] In 1775, Volta improved and popularized the electrophore, a device for producing static electricity. It consists of an ebonite dielectric plate and a separate metal plate with an insulated handle. After the ebonite plate was charged, an electric charge could be extracted from it without the charge disappearing from the dielectric plate. Although Volta is often credited as having invented it, it was the Swedish professor Johan Carl Wilcke who invented the instrument as early as 1764.
[9] The Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) was born in Como. Alessandro was the descendant of a famous noble family with excellent contacts in the ecclesiastical and political world. Following the physicist Galvani, Alessandro Volta was one of the first to take up the study of electricity. Alessandro Volta studied physics in Como and Pavia. Alessandro Volta managed to evoke and store electrical voltage. In 1775 Alessandro Volta constructed the voltmeter named after him using a plate capacitor. A voltmeter is an electrical device for determining the strength of a galvanic current with a relatively low voltage by measuring the amount of a metal or gaseous element separated from a dissolved compound in a known time. Alessandro Volta was also the inventor of his column or column in 1780. This was a kind of battery, with which Alessandro Volta supplied himself with high voltage. https://www.absolutefacts.nl/wetenschap/data/voltaalessandro.htm
[10] Dutch Minister Van Nieuwenhuizen (Infrastructure and Water Management) is allocating 11.7 million euros to support barge skippers and shipowners in making their fleet more sustainable. The money is intended for the purchase and installation of newer and cleaner marine engines. In addition, the cabinet will make 65 million euros available over the next five years to equip inland vessels with SCR catalysts. This contribution is part of the measures taken to reduce nitrogen emissions. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/actueel/nieuws/2021/01/29/van-nieuwenhuizen-miljoenenimpuls-duurzame-binnenvaart
[11] MENENS research project receives 24 million euros in subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs to accelerate the use of methanol as a fuel in shipping. Fugro and Boskalis are collaborating on the project. VT Group (Verenigde Tankrederij) from Rotterdam introduces the use case for inland shipping. This will draw up a blueprint that the entire sector can use to allow ships to sail on methanol. https://duurzamescheepvaart.nl/24-miljoen-euro-subsidie-voor-methanol-als-alternatieve-scheepsbrandstof/
