Pompey Mag June July

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TECH BY R.S. How the revolution in battery technology is changing our lives. The humble battery has been with us for 220 years since Allesandro Volta first invented his “voltaic pile”, but battery technology didn’t advance significantly until Sony commercialised the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery in 1991 and just 6 years later lithium polymer batteries (Li-po) were released which are now found in most smartphones. Li-ion and Li-po batteries have been key to the development of smartphones and electric cars, as well as wireless power and garden tools, drones, and robotic home devices such as lawnmowers and vacuum cleaners. Climate Change concerns have now turbocharged the focus on resolving the limitations of existing Li-ion batteries, and in the UK, with the ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars in just 9 years, it is looking like we are on the cusp of radical societal change. As technology advances in Solar Panels and they reduce in price, the long pay back times to make them a good investment are beginning to shorten. “Powerwalls” (basically big batteries) are now being installed to take advantage of Solar and off peak cheap grid electricity by storing either daytime sunshine for evening use or night time cheap rate electricity to use the following day. Imagine a world of batteries which lasted ages, and charged at lightning speed, where laptops 13 and smartphones would be back to 100% in less than a minute! No more hunting for the charging lead in a panic when you are on 2%. Let’s take a look at the near future: Drones – Amazon and Takeaway deliveries can now arrive much more quickly as they travel “as the crow flies”. Search and Rescue missions are now locating people in remote locations, using multiple drones which can scour the area for long periods using onboard cameras and deliver supplies. Transport – electric cars can be refuelled as quickly as a petrol vehicle, and can get you to Scotland on a single charge, resulting in full adoption by drivers. Noise and fumes have reduced, and pollution related illnesses are rapidly in decline. Property prices of houses and flats located on main roads go up. Drone taxis become viable, and electric short haul flights will be widespread and enable fast transport to more local areas as noise pollution disappears – every town has a short runway. Outside Events – your visit to a Camping site, a Music Festival or a Country Fair now has site batteries providing refrigeration, TV’s (via a projector) cooking and heating - noisy, heavy, diesel powered generators have gone. Battery packs linked to portable solar panels have become smaller, lighter and much more powerful enabling home comforts on the go. Living “off grid” – no longer the domain of the slightly bonkers tree-hugging brigade, who shunned modern day conveniences. You
can now live in more remote locations, with water pumped, purified and heated by electric battery – post-Covid this is now very attractive to people looking for a more rural life. 5G/6G is enabling remote working anywhere. Exo-skeletons – people can now lift big weights that they could not previously, without the risk of injury. Wheelchair users can “walk” for long periods, entering old buildings and exploring the wilderness. Robots –Boston Dynamics human and dog sized robots have become commonplace, which mimic the movements of both. They are set to mundane tasks carrying out duties which are now less popular for people, are dangerous or are uneconomic, such as fruit and vegetable picking. Meanwhile for the environment, longer lasting batteries mean far less recycling, and if Lithium is replaced, less mining of this rare mineral. As we become more reliant on electric power, the drive for solar, wind and wave TECH energy will be given further impetus. So is this years away? Perhaps not. By pushing existing battery technology, Tesla, VW, Renault, Kia and Vauxhall cars already have ranges of 250-350 miles, electric commercial flights have started and exo-skeletons are used now. Intensive Research and Development in battery tech is yielding some exciting results. The Israeli company StoreDot has demonstrated a “5 minute charge” car battery known as XFC, and shown smartphones fully charging in just 30 seconds. Companies are working on Graphene Aluminium-ion batteries to replace Lithium, with one Australian firm (GMG) claiming that their battery cells show promise of 60 times quicker charging, that are safer and last 3 times longer than Li-ion equivalents. I wonder what Senor Volta would have made of all this? I’m certain that our wonderful <strong>Pompey</strong> <strong>Mag</strong> distributors are looking forward to receiving their battery powered trolleys some day! WE BUY AND SELL: Thursday & Friday 10.30am-5.30pm, Saturday 10.00am-5.00pm Appointments: 07802 188147 Email: holdaway4321@btinternet.com Find us at 337a Copnor Road, Portsmouth. PO3 5EQ 14
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Pompey Mag June July

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