Mobile electrics technology is showing how to turn watts into kilowatts without batteries.

“Battery elimination, indeed elimination of all energy storage, is moving to even higher power, from electronics to electrical engineering,” reports IDTechEx, an international research firm based in the U.K.

Here’s an example:

“EnOcean remotely operated radiator valves work at watts captured thermoelectrically without batteries and EnOcean technology is being adapted to provide watts for the multiple transducers and sensors in future Internet of Things nodes.”

“To celebrate the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers going from Plymouth UK to Plymouth USA, a boat of the same length with sails and solar will complete the trip autonomously with no crew. Using its sails, Mayflower Autonomous Research Ship (MARS) will hit 20 knots (37 km/h or 23 mph). The sails will be automatically stowed when wind abates: then its solar-powered electric motor will achieve up to 12.5 knots (23 km/h or 14 mph),” reports Dr Peter Harrop, the lead author.

“The solar cells will generate enough current that if traveling at 5 knots (9 km/h or 6 mph) under motor power, the ship’s range will be unlimited, needing no battery say the designers. Some of those cells will be on a folding wing opening in calm seas.”

  • VIDEO: Watch an overview of the MARS at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUEc10dJJ0

Harrop notes batteries can be eliminated.

“Yes, batteries can be eliminated by prudent combination of mechanical and electrical energy harvesting like sails with solar and helium with solar employed by the Canadian Solar Ship energy independent transporter based helium aerofoils and carrying 35 tons autonomously.

“There are pure electric solar golf cars and 3 wheel taxis on sale.

“Do you really want to play golf in the dark? Abandon the battery for daytime use when highest-efficiency expanding solar is adopted.”

More to come

“There is ten to one hundred fold improvement to come in eliminating batteries from electronic and electrical equipment and in vehicles land, water and air,” Harrop adds.

“New forms of energy harvesting have much less intermittency creating less need for batteries.

“Consider Airborne Wind Energy involving energy positive tethered drones up where the winds are consistent and stronger. Magnetostrictive wave power is another example. Regeneration in vehicles gets cleverer with electricity produced from suspension and tires. Electric motors get more efficient even before gains expected from structural electronics. Components and circuits continue to improve by using lower power and work without heavy water cooling.”

Read more at http://www.idtechex.com/

The report is titled:

“Battery Elimination in Electronics and Electrical Engineering 2018-2028”