Tag: Sodiumnickelbattery
April 2016 temperatures sets record as hottest ever
When you see headlines like this and on a consistent basis it makes you realise you cannot wait for governments to take action on climate change. It is up to each one of us to take the actions we can.
As Margaret Meade says “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for April 2016 was 1.10°C above the 20th century average of 13.7°C. This is the highest temperature departure for April since global records began in 1880. This value surpassed the previous record set in 2010 by 0.28°C.
This was also the fourth highest monthly temperature departure among all 1,636 months on record, behind March 2016, 1.23°C, February 2016, 1.19°C, and December 2015, 1.12°C.
Overall, 13 out of the 15 highest monthly temperature departures in the record have all occurred since February 2015, with February 1998 and January 2007 among the 15 highest monthly temperature departures.
Continue reading “April 2016 temperatures sets record as hottest ever”
Off Grid living in the city
For many people who are interested in becoming more energy independent in whatever format, up to becoming
completely independent of the grid there is a steep learning curve to understand the different technologies and their capabilities. The quality and performance of some products are definitely better than others and it is definitely not the products that come from companies with large advertising budgets that necessarily have the best products.
Have a look at this article that shares the experience of some people that have decided to move off the grid, http://www.domain.com.au/advice/solar-panels-and-battery-systems-power-offgrid-living-as-a-lifestyle-choice-20160521-gozo7b/.
Linda discussing Sodium Nickel battery at Bairnsdale
Linda describing the high energy density, which is one of the superior features of our Sodium Nickel Chloride battery at a display at the East Gippsland 2016 farm day at the Bairnsdale.
At 9.6kW in a battery that is only 55 cm x 50 cm x 32 cm, the FIAMM SoNick battery has one of the best energy densities of all current batteries available in Australia. Continue reading “Linda discussing Sodium Nickel battery at Bairnsdale”
Sodium Nickel and other Battery Technologies
Recently GridEdge showcased our FIAMM SoNick battery to the Traralgon sustainability group and Ian Conibeer gave a 
talk about the Sodium Nickel battery and many of its characteristics as compared to other batteries currently available in Australia.
Among other things people were impressed with the fact that the FIAMM SoNick battery is 100% recyclable and operates effectively, without any battery deterioration from -20° to +60°C which makes it a much better alternative to other batteries in Australia’s extreme weather conditions.
Continue reading “Sodium Nickel and other Battery Technologies”
SoNick battery presentation
Recently GridEdge showcased our FIAMM SoNick battery to the Baw Baw sustainability group and 
here is a picture of Ian Conibeer talking about the Sodium Nickel battery and many of its characteristics. Among other things people were impressed with the superior operating temperature of the FIAMM SoNick battery which operates effectively, without any battery deterioration from -20° to +60°C which makes it a much better alternative to other batteries in Australia’s extreme weather conditions
If you recognise the value in utilising battery storage and would like to understand more about different battery characteris Continue reading “SoNick battery presentation”
What is the Cycle Life of Your Battery?
When you see information about batteries one thing you will often see is the number of cycles 
they will claim to be able to provide in their lifetime. This figure can be anywhere from 2,000 cycles to 5,000 or even 6,000 cycles.
At first glance it might seem that the higher the number of cycles, the better the battery will be but in fact there are many factors that can affect the true number of cycles you will get out of your battery over its lifetime. Generally the more you take a battery below its recommended depth of discharge the fewer cycles you will get out of the battery.
One cycle is taking a battery from fully charged down to its recommended depth of discharge before charging it up again.
Continue reading “What is the Cycle Life of Your Battery?”
Is your battery toxic to you or your environment?
One of the things that you should consider when putting battery storage on your home is whether or not the battery chemistry is toxic either in its manufacture or disposal or in its day to day use.
Often, one of the reasons that people put solar panels on their house and put in battery storage to collect the excess usage is to protect the environment and reduce the need for coal powered power stations.
This can be counterproductive if you choose a battery that is made from toxic materials or has components that can’t be recycled. Continue reading “Is your battery toxic to you or your environment?”
What does Depth of Discharge or DOD mean?
When you see information on batteries you often see their performance
talked about as their Depth of Discharge or DOD. This is the percentage of battery capacity that can be used. For some batteries you can use 80 or 90% of their capacity but others only allow you to use 30%. It is very important to understand this when you are looking at the output of any battery.
You can have a range of batteries, all having 10 KW capacity but if one battery has a DOD of 80% where you would actually have 8KW of available storage another one might have a DOD of only 30% which means you would in fact only be able to use 3KW of storage. This means the lower the depth of discharge the more batteries you would need to achieve the same storage capacity. Continue reading “What does Depth of Discharge or DOD mean?”
What is the best operating temperature for your battery?
Most batteries will operate, with varying degrees of effectiveness in the 5 – 35 °C range so are fine for the autumn and spring operating months, however if you want a battery that will also operate efficiently in winter and summer you need to understand how temperature has an effect on a batteries operating capabilities.
The ambient weather temperatures have a large impact on the performance and on the life of most batteries and unfortunately, it’s a characteristic that isn’t often talked about.
The optimum temperature for most batteries to operate at is around 25°C and this is the temperature all battery testing is performed at. When temperatures vary, either up or down there is an effect on the performance and life of most batteries.
Depending on the chemistry of the battery different batteries will only operate optimally within a limited temperature range, so it’s important to understand this when purchasing or upgrading your battery for energy storage.
When the temperature starts to fall below about 15°C, depending on the battery chemistry, the electro-chemistry of the battery becomes sluggish and doesn’t perform as well. In fact, very few batteries operate below 0°C. This is relevant in many countries in Europe, the USA or Canada but not as relevant in most of Australia.
Continue reading “What is the best operating temperature for your battery?”