INNOVATION How glass is electrifying the energy landscape Glass is helping to define the energy landscape of tomorrow. With its outstanding properties the material offers very promising perspectives for new energy technologies. Challenge In many places, wind turbines can be seen rotating and solar panels capturing sunlight these recognizable signs of the pursuit of renewable energy have evolved into a global trend, pointing to an eco-friendly future for supplying power. Now more than ever, new technologies and innovative materials are needed to efficiently promote, transport, utilize and store the energy from the sun, wind and water. Glass is powering the world in many ways which may not be visible but which are certainly crucial. For the energy landscape of tomorrow, the material offers enormous potential. http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 1 of 7
Energy Conversion Energy Transportation H 2 Energy Use Energy Storage POWERAMIC glass-ceramics for high-voltage capacitors Glass seals for lithium-ion batteries Lightguides for converter stations Separator glass powder for lithium-ion batteries H 2 Sealing glasses for fuel cells Ion-conducting glass-ceramics for innovative batteries http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 2 of 7
Glass triggers new ideas The energy industry needs innovative and flexible solutions to overcome the greatest challenges it faces. Take a look at how glass is helping to shape some of the newest approaches. People Glass is an unsung hero What is needed is a smart insulation material that does more than merely insulate. In high voltage direct current transmission (HVDC) which is currently receiving a lot of attention, insulators should have a low conductivity. This is where glass is perfectly suited for the job: it can insulate, it can be set to achieve low conductivity, it is resistant to temperature changes and is also durable over time. Prof. Dr. Volker Hinrichsen, Technical University of Darmstadt, on the use of glass in high voltage technology http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 3 of 7
Innovation Glass ensures high voltage At 60.000 V/cm no breakdowns Capacitors. Without them, no cell phone can ring, no train can roll, no electric vehicle can be driven. Much like batteries, they can store electric energy. However, in contrast to batteries, they can emit all of the energy they have collected within a relatively short period of time. Flash devices are proof of this benefit each and every day of our lives. In terms of high-voltage applications, the short-term energy storage systems are ubiquitous. How well they perform is dependent on how well dielectric can insulate electrodes. The higher the dielectric strength, the more energy stored by the capacitor. And this is where the benefits of glass and glass-ceramics can be best observed: In high voltage tests, no breakdowns occurred at strengths as high as 60,000 V/cm. With its development of POWERAMIC SCHOTT introduced a new dielectric material to the market. The glass-ceramic material saves more energy in a smaller space at a lower weight, making it a very attractive option in mobile applications, including in electric rail transport or in electric vehicles. In addition, POWERAMIC is extremely robust and insensitive to high temperatures, which can often lead to thermal overload in individual components. http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 4 of 7
Glass insulates and bonds Batteries are truly powerhouses in every sense of the word. Chemical reactions happening inside allow batteries to emit electricity. Glass can make your business safer and more efficient. Special glasses developed by SCHOTT play an important role in the operational lifespan of batteries used in electromobility. Li-Ion batteries in electric vehicles Securely sealed with innovative GTAS glass-to-aluminum battery feedthroughs from SCHOTT http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 5 of 7
Not only do li-ion batteries used in electric vehicles need to be as light as possible, but they must also be as powerful as possible. Damage to them can set off the uncontrolled unleashing of energy, resulting in potentially harmful outcomes. The battery can burn up or even explode. Hermetically sealed casings can drastically reduce the potential for disaster. No doubt, this is where innovative glass glass-to-aluminum sealings from SCHOTT comes into the solutions picture. On the one hand, they seal off the battery housings, making it gas-proof. They are also used to unblock the electrical connections from the battery s aluminum housing. Thus, the sealing needs to provide the highest levels of insulation as well as be able to resist the most aggressive of substances. And it has to do so for a long period of time years and years in shifting and ever-harsher environments. Bonding glass with aluminum is a process which currently only SCHOTT has been able to accomplish. Aluminum is a material that works best when it can be utilized where weight counts not only in space and aviation, but in the automobile industry as well. Claire Buckwar, SCHOTT Director Strategic Marketing and Innovation To further develop electromobility, the German-based technology group is working across the entire battery roadmap on a number of new solutions. In addition to optimizing the reliability and efficiency of high-performance lithium-ion batteries, teams of professionals are developing innovative battery technologies such as lithium-air batteries. In fact, SCHOTT currently offers interesting solutions which utilize glass separator powders and innovative ion-conducting glassceramics. Next Glass offers new opportunities http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 6 of 7
When it comes to energy technology, glass is an all-rounder, consistently surprising in terms of its diverse set of properties and functions. The material is the key elements in a number of future applications, including high-temperature fuel cells, innovative batteries for electro-mobility, highperformance high-voltage capacitors for offshore wind turbines or fiber optic cables for highvoltage direct current transmission. And yet, the possibilities opened up by this unique material have not yet been exhausted; not by a long shot. SCHOTT researchers are already developing new ideas which will lead to electrifying innovations. Let s work together to sustainably change the future. What is your next milestone? Contact Dr Eric H. Urruti Vice President of R&D and Business Development SCHOTT North America, Inc. Downloads Links Global EV Outlook More about glass-to-aluminium sealing technology for lithium-ion batteries More about POWERAMIC glass ceramics for high-voltage capacitors Go here for more on fiber optics and converter stations http://www.us.schott.com/innovation/energy/ Page 7 of 7