We're used to batteries powering
a lot of devices,
but the University of California, Riverside is upping that a notch by
charging up a whole floor's worth. The school's Winston Chung Global
Energy Center is walking the eco-friendly walk and has started using a
huge bank of rare earth, lithium-ion batteries from Balqon to produce
1.1 megawatts, enough to keep Winston Chung Hall's entire first floor
humming along while tapping renewable energy sources like
solar and
wind power.
The batteries bank their energy overnight, keeping the throngs of
students happy without having to recharge as much or use the regular
power grid as a fallback. While it's considered a testbed, the
university's giant battery is considered a blueprint for cellular towers
and the green power sources themselves -- the combination of which
could keep your smartphone up and running with a lot less of an
environmental hit.
[Thanks, Justin B]
UCR Today
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