Issue link: http://resourceworld.uberflip.com/i/1099276
A P R I L / M A Y 2 0 1 9 www.resourceworld.com 59 GREEN TECHNOLOGIES he expects the source to change as demand grows. In addition to ultra-fast charging, Zap&Go's new carbon-ion battery changes energy storage because of its lifespan expectations. "We last a long time," Voller said. "It would be a 30-year useful life or 30-year warranty," which is a far cry from the 10-to-15-year lifespans expected from today's lithium-ion batteries. Voller continued, "You don't get any degradation in that time, or at least none that we've been able to measure." That is made possible by the supercapacitors that underpin Zap&Go's solution. As you use the battery, the chemistry wears out over time, resulting in a lower capacity over the life of the battery. "With a carbon-ion cell, it's an electrostatic reaction. It's like static electricity. That translates to energy storage that won't wear out over time and that can charge and discharge instantly," said Voller. Zap&Go's third-generation units operate at 3.4 volts. According to Voller, "These cells are designed for grid storage, not electric vehicles (EVs)." EV batteries are definitely in the longer term outlook for Zap&Go. "We are developing our genera - tion 4, which is operating at 4 volts." Voller noted that it will take two more generations for their batteries to get into vehicles. "It will be our generation 5 and generation 6 that will go in a vehicle," he said. In practical terms, that should be around 2025 when they first make it to the electric vehicle market. These new cells can all be made in the same factories and on the same production lines that lithium- ion batteries are produced. "We're making our generation 3 cells today in China at a lithium-ion plant," said Voller. That trans - lates to a lower cost transition because battery makers will not have to build new production lines, purchase new equip- ment, or risk as much to start building the new cells. Installing stationary energy storage in conjunction with charging stations allows operators to absorb cheaper power over a longer period of time that can then be distributed to vehicles when it's time to charge. Zap&Go sees a healthy demand ahead as cities, states and countries look to zero emission vehicles to solve their urban pollution issues. These legislative changes have brought new business to their door - step and brought new interest in their battery technology, Voller said. DO IT YOURSELF SOLAR DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM RESPONDS TO WEATHER Australia-based Dr. Bernie Omodei has cre- ated a DIY solar-powered irrigation system that facilitates automatic plant watering. The system uses measured irrigation, which is a drip irrigation scheduling technique. For measured irrigation the water volume delivered by a dripper during the irrigation event is independent on the flow rate. According to Omodei, when it rains, water enters the evaporator and delays the start of the next irrigation. Because of its simplicity, the irrigation application works unattended for weeks. The only consumables are sunlight and rainwater, both of which are free. All the required power comes from a 20-watt solar panel. The power operates a 28-watt pump to lift the water from a farm pond (for example) to a header tank. A 20-watt solar panel supplies sufficient power for most small-scale applications. Additional solar panels may be added as required. The DIY Solar Drip Irrigation Kit is best suited to small holders with access to a farm pond or a rainwater tank. n Dr. Bernie Omodei with his DIY solar- powered irrigation system. Photo by Sophie Thomson.