Concrete buildings will be able to store energy like giant batteries
As the need for green buildings is growing exponentially, so there is an ever-growing need for sustainable building materials.
Now a team of researchers from the Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden has developed a rechargeable cement-based concrete battery to make the buildings more energy-efficient and sustainable.
Working in collaboration with KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, researchers successfully created a prototype of a concrete battery.
Using buildings as batteries could revolutionize the energy storage
The cement-based mixture is spiked with carbon fibers that serve as an electrode, increases conductivity and load-bearing capability. Pair of carbon fiber meshes is also incorporated into the mix. One coated in nickel to act as the cathode and the other coated in iron to act as the anode.
The energy density of the concrete battery is far lower than commercial batteries. But this issue could be resolved, as this battery is made of concrete and building structures could act as massive batteries.
This concept is at the very early stages of research. But researchers are confident that future buildings have the technical potential to store electricity from rooftop PV.
