Thread: Limitations to electrical storage

Originally Posted by grapes

I suppose we could express it as a (small) percentage of the work/energy involved in the automotive/petroleum/racing/busing/trucking/accessory/advertising industry.

Bingo! While Atomic makes a valid point, the4 major factor will be the rate of return on investors funds. E.g., "Sure, I'll invest 100 million euros/dollars/whatever but when do I get my money back and with how much vig....err, inter...err, dividends?"

Another quite different techology is to store magnetically rather than electrostatically or chemically.

Originally Posted by Atomic-S

Another quite different techology is to store magnetically rather than electrostatically or chemically.

A fourth is kinetically. Counter-rotating high-speed flywheels, for instance.

Another option might be a nuclear battery. That would be based on the use of a radioisotope that emits either alpha or beta particles, that would be located within a much larger metallic container. The space between could be vacuum, air, or a dielectric, depending upon circumstances. The idea is that the charged particles leave the radioisotope and travel to the container, where they are captured, thereby charging it. They leave behind the opposite charge. This forms the poles of a "battery".