Batteries store energy to be used at another time or another place. Nat gas, oil, and nuclear are the densest batteries humanity has discovered. Traditional electric batteries will never achieve this energy density, IMO. And certainly aren't there today. Tanker ships running on electric batteries is a step backward with today's tech, and probably will be even on tomorrow's tech. The hunt for energy dense batteries starts and ends with combustibles and nuclear.
Discussion
I agree with this as a true statement today. However, I don’t think we are bound to this and the breakthroughs in chemistry and physics required for denser battery storage, I believe, are worth pursuing even if this clearly is not the most economical application.
How can anything ever be more energy dense than a battery (oil and nat gas) that so completely stores energy that upon its usage, there is no solid waste left behind whatsoever? Rechargeable electric batteries physically cannot ever achieve this level of energy density. It's not about technology, it's about physics.
Again. I get that, but I can potentially imagine a place for batteries in the mix - but sure I could very well be wrong. The larger issue is that the free market should be deciding where the investment goes - as this would make the “who’s right” in this convo irrelevant. State subsidies to both O&G and “green” and battery tech is all just different flavors of anti-market / market-breaking malinvestment.
Totally agree. Curious if battery tech would even be a product in a free market.