Aquion Energy up and coming battery....opinions please

[Willy T]

I know that Midnite Solar has one they were testing with so one would think they are going to support them in some way. It would be a place to check on their answer.

[Sunking]

I asked about using them with Schneider equipment, and he said one caution that came to his mind was Aquion advertises high DOD, and the XW MPPT and most charge controllers would have a problem below 40V. Looking at the Aquion data sheet, they in fact show characteristic curves to 40V, and a dotted line extension to 30V. They give specs for both the full voltage range, as well as to 40V mnimum. It isn't clear at a glance to a newbie like myself what amount of DOD one would achieve if restricted to a 40V minimum.

It means there is no equipment compatible with it. I assume you are talking about a 48 volt nominal system, and 45 volts is as low as it can go.

So far everything I have read about them is extremely disappointing. As for EV's completely useless with a Specific Energy Density of 20 wh/Kg meaning it would take a 10 pounds of battery to do the job of a 1 pound lithium. On the Renewable Energy side Specific Energy Density is not that big of a deal if space is not an issue because it will take up twice the volume of conventional Pb batteries. But the nail in the coffin is th ebattery voltage operating range of 1.25 to 2.45 volts per cell. For a 48 volt system would be 30 to 59 volts. 48 volt equipment shuts down at 45 volts. No equipment will work with it as of now.

[Living Large]

Schneider rep reports a homeowner just installed Aquion batteries

I just spoke with a Schneider regional representative, who informed me that a company that installs their equipment just put in a residential system with Aquion batteries. This is encouraging, since I was thinking of using these. He of course gave a disclaimer that Schneider doesn't endorse any battery technology or manufacturer.

I asked about using them with Schneider equipment, and he said one caution that came to his mind was Aquion advertises high DOD, and the XW MPPT and most charge controllers would have a problem below 40V. Looking at the Aquion data sheet, they in fact show characteristic curves to 40V, and a dotted line extension to 30V. They give specs for both the full voltage range, as well as to 40V mnimum. It isn't clear at a glance to a newbie like myself what amount of DOD one would achieve if restricted to a 40V minimum.

[PNjunction]

I admire Prof Jay Whitacre's progression from LiFePo4 to this chemistry. Makes sense.

Unless you are in this commercially, the energy-density (physical size), and cost may not make it ideal for most of the readers here.

You are also dealing with a single-vendor issue, unlike lifepo4 which is everywhere. That is something to consider. Are buyers under non-disclosure-agreements about publishing their own findings? Most of us would like to see more than just sales literature, and can quickly weed that out when presented.

It is an interesting and viable technology, as long as you are willing to go single-vendor (for now), and the energy-density fits your application.

Problem is, lifepo4 has been around for a decade or more, and itself is widely misunderstood. At least there aren't any NDA's to deal with as a consumer. I wish Aquion well, but it just doesn't fit my application.

[Jurgen]

Aquion Batteries are now available in Australia , one M100 installed since Sept.14

http://www.greentechmedia.com/articl...s-Up-35M-in-VC

I havent seen much of a discussion on these batteries. I am considering buying these as soon as they start production of them (Q4 2013 apparently). Bill Gates just invested in the company. The technology sounds like it is in the right direction

Anybody got some inside info they can share?

Cheers
Nat

HI Nat
Aquion Batteries are now available in Australia. Ist one installed in Northern NSW in September this year .
This battery is wonderful simple technology , environmental clean and sustainable , way outperforming the conventional batteries for storage with many advantages.
Jurgen

[MottMcFly]

Aquion-Energy-up-and-coming-batter

Has there been any further word from Aquion regarding shelving a product?

Thanks,

Mott

[SunEagle]

Here is a number of companies over in Europe that are developing a Lithium Sulfur battery for EV's and Military use.

http://www.renewablesbiz.com/article/13/06/leading-companies-team-develop-unrivalled-lithium-sulfur-solar-energy-storage-system&utm_medium=eNL&utm_campaign=RB_DAILY2&utm_term=Original-Member

http://www.oxisenergy.com/

[SunEagle]

This blog may enhance your interest again

http://www.aquionenergy.com/blog/bid...lure-Scenarios

Again the blog is a year old. While it shows some interesting data that these batteries don't lose their charge as fast as a lead acid type after many cycles you would think that type of success would have resulted in at least one version being on the market by now.

I'm afraid all of their bluster is nothing more than a way to get investors without a clear chance of a positive resulting product.

Like most things that seem too good to be true, they are usually something that barely makes it off the drawing board or out of the test lab.

[russ]

This blog may enhance your interest again

http://www.aquionenergy.com/blog/bid...lure-Scenarios

A post about problems with lead acid batteries? That only means Aquion didn't have anything to say about their own product and they are very late according to their promises.

Watch this bunch disappear over the horizon - with the investors cash.

[russ]

Nice pictures but it looks like they missed their launch dates by a few months.

Cartoons actually - they don't show anything but apparently it is supposed to satisfy the public?

[nat1971a]

That blog was almost 11 months ago in July 2012. Me thinks the test was not conclusive or they should have had something on the market by now like the pictures showed for the 4th Q of 2012 and 1st Q of 2013. We just finished the 2nd Q of 2013. I don't have high hopes for this battery.

This blog may enhance your interest again

http://www.aquionenergy.com/blog/bid/157572/When-Batteries-Go-Bad-Lead-Acid-Performance-in-Failure-Scenarios

[SunEagle]

yeah i wish they would just get on with it and launch.....i need some decent batteries. I hope shipping them to Australia isn't going to be a problem.

anyways heres a blog about them testing in an off grid scenario

http://www.aquionenergy.com/blog/bid...ies-with-Solar

That blog was almost 11 months ago in July 2012. Me thinks the test was not conclusive or they should have had something on the market by now like the pictures showed for the 4th Q of 2012 and 1st Q of 2013. We just finished the 2nd Q of 2013. I don't have high hopes for this battery.

[nat1971a]

Nice pictures but it looks like they missed their launch dates by a few months.

yeah i wish they would just get on with it and launch.....i need some decent batteries. I hope shipping them to Australia isn't going to be a problem.

anyways heres a blog about them testing in an off grid scenario

http://www.aquionenergy.com/blog/bid/185334/Taking-Our-Work-Off-the-Grid-Using-AHI-Batteries-with-Solar

[SunEagle]

I found this in some older marketing material i have. Gives a good indication on how the batteries need to be stacked.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2941[/ATTACH]

Nice pictures but it looks like they missed their launch dates by a few months.

[nat1971a]

And despite its lower energy density the LiPFePO4 battery is so much more resistant to thermal runaway that it is generally preferred now for laptop and phone batteries.

I found this in some older marketing material i have. Gives a good indication on how the batteries need to be stacked.

batterystack.jpg