The battery set to transform renewable energy: A greener battery We all know that renewable energy will play a pivotal role if we’re to decarbonise the environment. One of the key challenges with alternative power sources, such as wind and solar, is storing what they produce at scale. But scientists at the University of Jena think they may have found the solution. They have developed a battery containing organic polymers that can cope with the fluctuations that result in renewable energy generation due to changing weather conditions. “The new polymer plastic-based batteries can store almost as much energy per kilogram as a lithium battery.” “We need to buffer the energy, so even if there’s a lull in the wind, we can use that energy. And this kind of battery, the “Redox flow battery”, is perfect for storing large amounts of energy,” Ulrich S. Schubert, Director of the Centre for Energy and Environmental Chemistry at the University of Jena told Euronews. “The new polymer plastic-based batteries can store almost as much energy per kgs as a lithium battery. But because plastics are lighter, we need a larger volume to store that energy,” he added. By: Claudio Rosmino In partnership with The European Commission Ver noticia original en EuroNews