Energy Density of Lithium-Ion Batteries
- Today’s lithium-ion batteries typically have an energy density ranging from 200 to 300 Wh/kg (watt-hours per kilogram) on a gravimetric basis, meaning the energy stored per unit of battery mass.
- Advanced lithium-ion batteries have been developed with higher energy densities reaching up to 711 Wh/kg, which is among the highest reported gravimetric energy densities for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries as of 2023.
- In volumetric terms, lithium-ion batteries have energy densities around 250 to 693 Wh/L (watt-hours per liter), with improvements over time pushing volumetric densities from 55 Wh/L in 2008 to 450 Wh/L by 2020.
- Future projections suggest possible lithium-ion energy densities could double to 500 Wh/kg in the 2030s and potentially reach around 1250 Wh/kg in the long term, though this still falls far below the energy density of hydrocarbons.
Energy Density of Hydrogen
- While the search results do not provide direct hydrogen energy density numbers, from well-established data, hydrogen has an energy density on the order of 33,300 Wh/kg (higher heating value) when considered purely as a fuel (mass basis).
- However, hydrogen’s volumetric energy density is quite low at standard temperature and pressure due to its gaseous state, approximately 2.8 Wh/L at atmospheric pressure; compression or liquefaction is required to increase this volumetric density for practical storage and transport.
Comparison
| Aspect | Lithium-Ion Batteries | Hydrogen (Fuel) |
|---|---|---|
| Gravimetric Energy Density | 200–711 Wh/kg (current tech) | ~33,300 Wh/kg (pure H2) |
| Volumetric Energy Density | 250–693 Wh/L | ~2.8 Wh/L (gas at STP) |
| Storage | Solid-state (battery pack) | Gas or liquid, requires compression or liquefaction |
| Material Weight per kWh | About 4 kg/kWh | Much less weight per kWh fuel but requires heavy tanks |
Summary
Lithium-ion batteries have much lower gravimetric energy density compared to hydrogen fuel—on the order of two magnitudes lower—but have a much higher volumetric energy density given they are stored as solids rather than gases. Hydrogen offers extremely high energy per unit mass but challenges remain in storage volume and infrastructure. Lithium-ion batteries are currently far more energy-dense on a volumetric basis, making them suitable for many portable and vehicle applications, while hydrogen’s very high gravimetric density is attractive for long-range and heavy-duty uses if storage issues can be managed.
Thus, lithium-ion batteries offer around hundreds of Wh/kg, with cutting-edge tech reaching over 700 Wh/kg, whereas hydrogen fuel contains about 33,300 Wh/kg, illustrating hydrogen’s much higher energy density by weight but far lower by volume unless heavily processed or compressed.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-energy-density-of-lithium-ion-batteries-compare-to-that-of-hydrogen/
