XL Batteries is using petrochemical infrastructure to store solar and wind power

Plenty of materials — from sulfur and sodium to manganese and organic molecules — have tried to topple the ubiquitous lithium-ion battery. And, so far, they’ve all failed. Organic batteries, which are built from some of the most abundant chemicals here on Earth, including carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, has been perhaps the most frustrating failure. They should be cheaper than today’s batteries that use metals. Yet no one has been able to crack the organic battery. Until now, perhaps. A young startup called XL Batteries has a new take on the chemistry, that it says should be cheaper, safer, and more durable than previous organic batteries and, crucially, lithium-ion batteries themselves. “The capital cost should be ultra low,” Tom Sisto, co-founder and CEO of XL Batteries, told TechCrunch. Don’t expect to find the company’s products in a next-generation electric vehicle. The liquid that XL Batteries uses to store electricity is bulkier and heavier than today’s lithium-ion batteries. ... Read full article.