Fuel Cells, Batteries, and the End of Gasoline Engines
I hate weed whackers. Actually, I hate weed whackers that won’t start, which seems to be every one that I touch. So recently, I ordered a cordless weed whacker from Ryobi, powered by a rechargeable 24V lithium-ion battery that will also fit the pole saw extension that I ordered and the hedge trimmer that I already have.
For so long, the internal combustion engine powered by gas/oil/diesel was the best way to power portable things, like cars, trucks, and weed whackers. The energy density of fossil fuels is fantastic, and the energy density of batteries — not so much. Until recently. Advances in battery technology seem to be coming weekly, making the battery more and more viable as a replacement for many internal combustion motors.
The other factor to consider is that the power to recharge these batteries comes from the grid. Massive generation stations powered by coal, nuclear, hydro and other sources produce megawatts of electricity and send it out over a huge network of transmission lines, through substations, and finally arriving at your home or business. But advances in fuel cells, like described in this article at the Kurzweil Accelerating Intelligence website, could move the generation capability right to your home, eliminating the need for the grid. (We’d still need a distribution network for natural gas, of course.) Commercial scale units are available from companies like Bloom Energy.
This sort of micro-generation capability (also known as “distributed generation”), combined with advanced batteries and technologies like LED lighting that dramatically lower demand for power all signal a major disruption to the existing order. Factor in innovative business models like quick-swap batteries for electric cars that would operate much like a gas station crossed with gas grill cylinder exchange, and we can see many scenarios where the internal combustion engine is replaced by batteries.
This will be a major disruption to a variety of industries, who will (most certainly) not give in willingly. Oil and gas exploration, refining, and distribution is one obvious industry. Automobile dealerships, service centers, oil change places, and auto parts stores all face sharp declines in demand for what they offer.
Many articles have been written about how the grid is overloaded and insecure. These technologies can eliminate that problem. Brownouts and blackouts become a thing of the past.
If (when) batteries displace internal combustion engines, the world will be a quieter, cleaner place.
Greg is a visionary, entrepreneurial executive with broad experience in formulating effective, actionable strategies for technology-based solutions. He brings leadership skills and knowledge in strategic analysis and planning, innovation management, and strategic marketing to create customer-focused competitive advantage. His extensive industry experience in companies large and small, in industries from high tech to healthcare, in product development/management, executive management, marketing, and strategy positions gives him the experience to know what works. Greg is an adjunct professor at Duke University, where he created and teaches “Competitive Strategy in Technology-based Industries” in the Masters of Engineering Management Program. He is chairman of the NCSU Technology Incubator Advisory Board, a member of the NCSU Industrial Extension Service Advisory Board, and co-founded a venture-backed startup. Greg is a Senior Member of the IEEE and a member of the Engineering Management Society, a member of the Product Development and Management Association (PDMA), and a member of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP). He received a BS degree in Electrical Engineering from Lafayette College, and a Masters degree in Entrepreneurship from Western Carolina University. Greg is an excellent and inspiring speaker, presenter and educator. He is a frequent judge at business plan competitions and hackathons, including MetLife TechJam, Triangle Startup Weekend, and case study competitions at Duke and North Carolina State Universities.
You might want to check this podcast out – http://www.asymcar.com/?p=363 . It touches on a lot of things you’ve covered here , and even makes an argument against lithium-ion batteries.
I really like Horace Dediu’s stuff and the way he thinks and expresses himself. Thanks for the link to the podcast.