Lithium Ion Technology
Lithium ion technology has been referred to as “the battery that changed the world.”
This ubiquitous energy source is lightweight, boasts a long lifespan, and requires less overall maintenance than legacy technologies. In the general consumer market, lithium-ion batteries can be found in everything from smartphones to power tools to electric toothbrushes and beyond. Over the past three decades, the technology has evolved to support larger energy storage systems (ESS) for industrial applications, which can be custom-built to meet unique energy specifications. Today, lithium-ion technology is commonly used in the booming electric vehicle (EV) market, as long-term energy storage for various industries and as a grid stabilization tool for businesses and municipalities using intermittent wind and solar power.
Like any energy source, the technology has limitations and difficulties, including thermal runaway, lithium mining concerns, and recycling challenges. However, lithium-ion batteries have become a heavily used energy source because of their high energy density, long lifespan, and industrial versatility.
Six Lithium Ion Battery Types
There are six major types of lithium-ion batteries on the market today, each with a slightly different chemical composition that impacts the battery’s energy density, cost, and overall performance.
For most lithium-ion batteries, the anodes are made from graphite, while the cathodes are made from lithium plus other minerals. Each one of these unique chemical compositions offers strengths and presents downsides for individual industrial applications.
Let’s dive into the six different types of lithium-ion batteries.
NMC: Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt
NMC batteries are one of the most widely used varieties of lithium-ion batteries. The cathode contains nickel to increase the battery’s energy density, allowing it to store more energy in a condensed space. The battery also contains manganese and cobalt, which provide thermal stability. This composition makes NMC batteries a safe and reliable option. NMC batteries are widely used across various industries, but their high energy density makes them especially suitable for applications where high energy outputs are needed in small, lightweight packages, such as consumer electronics, handheld power tools, and long-range EVs.
NCA: Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide
These batteries operate similarly to their NMC counterparts. Their nickel composition offers high energy density, but they rely on a combination of aluminum and cobalt rather than manganese and cobalt for thermal stability. NCA batteries are found in high-performance EVs and large ESSs. They are more prone to thermal runaway, requiring additional safety measures to monitor battery temperature and maintain safe operation.
LFP: Lithium Iron Phosphate
The LFP battery is one of the most common types of batteries for ESSs. It has a lower energy density than NMC and NCA batteries, so more individual battery cells are needed to supply the same amount of power. Since many ESSs can occupy large spaces, the low energy density presents less of an issue in this application. Plus, since they are not made with nickel, LFP batteries are less likely to experience thermal runaway. Iron is cheaper and easier to mine, making the overall production cost less expensive than other lithium-ion batteries.
LCO: Lithium Cobalt Oxide
LCO batteries were the first lithium-ion batteries to be commercially used for small electronics back in the early 1990s. They have a high energy density but low thermal stability, so they work best when they can deliver low amounts of energy over an extended period of time. They are commonly found in consumer electronics such as laptops and smartphones but are not typically used for higher-output energy applications.
LMO: Lithium Manganese Oxide
These batteries have excellent charging and discharging capabilities, thermal stability, and safety features similar to those of LFP batteries. However, they have a shorter lifespan, making them a less popular choice in ESS markets. In EVs, LMO batteries have been paired with NMC batteries to provide a high output during acceleration alongside a stable current for long-range driving.
LTO: Lithium Titanate
While most anodes in the other five lithium-ion batteries are made from graphite, the anode in an LTO battery is made of lithium and titanium oxides. LTO batteries charge quickly and have high life cycles but have low energy density and are expensive.
The Future of Lithium Ion for Standby Power
Out of these six types of lithium-ion batteries, LFP batteries are the most commonly used for standby power systems. They are safer and less expensive than the alternative lithium-ion batteries listed above. While EVs need to rely on batteries that are lightweight, ESS systems are often stored out of the way. They are not impacted by battery weight or volume after the initial installation process, making custom-built LFP batteries an effective power solution.
As lithium-ion technology continues to evolve and transform alongside other green energy solutions, it’s expected to become cheaper, safer, and more accessible for industry leaders searching for reliable standby power.
At RedHawk Energy, we have established relationships with some of the world’s leading battery providers, including Saft and Concentric. We will work with you to connect with these industry leaders and identify the lithium-ion battery product that best suits your standby power needs. In addition, RedHawk Energy offers a variety of battery accessories to support the use of lithium-ion for your unique energy storage systems.
Contact our team today to learn more.