I have an EV which seems to keep the same charge for weeks at a time without topping it up but I hear that grid scale batteries have a lower storage duration than an EV battery. Why is this the case and what is the typical storage duration of a grid scale storage battery?
Edit/clarification:
I’ve read that grid scale storage only keeps charge for four hours, how and why is this the case if an EV battery can keep charge for weeks?
In: Engineering
For an EV battery, power to weight ratio is important, because the car has to carry around the weight of the battery and the heavier it is the more power the car will use. To maximize range and performance you want a battery that can pack as much energy for its weight and size as possible.
For grid scale storage, the power to *cost* ratio is more important. You need a lot of batteries, but they aren’t going anywhere and they don’t need to fit in a small space. You want to get the most storage capacity for the price, which often means batteries that are lower capacity, but are cheaper so you can have more of them.
Latest Answers