Lithium-ion batteries for industrial applications

Lithium-ion batteries have had a great impact in the automotive industry and in the large scale energy storage worldwide. This success is generating a growing interest for them in industrial stationary applications. Since Lithium-ion batteries have inherently different characteristics than the usual lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries, we need to operate a paradigm shift if we want to properly asses their usefulness in the industrial world. This paradigm shift is due to the fact that Lithium-ion batteries have different safety and maintenance requirements, energy density, power delivery characteristics, voltage window, temperature range and calendar life. This paper will explore the various Lithium-ion technologies available today for UPS, protection and control and general stationary applications and it will offer practical assistance in assessing their feasibility.