What is the difference between power batteries and energy storage batteries?

What is the difference between power batteries and energy storage batteries? 

Power batteries are mainly used for energy storage, with large capacity, long lifespan, and low self discharge. Electric tool batteries have a small capacity and do not require high power output; Energy storage batteries mainly refer to the storage of electrical energy, providing power and requiring the ability to output high power.

What is the difference between power batteries and energy storage batteries?
Batteries are used to store electricity, and from an application perspective, they are all energy storage batteries. Therefore, it can be said that all lithium batteries are energy storage batteries. Later, in order to distinguish their applications, they were divided into three types: consumer batteries, power batteries, and energy storage batteries according to their scenarios. Consumer applications are used in consumer products such as mobile phones, laptops, and digital cameras, power applications are used in electric vehicles, and energy storage applications are used in energy storage power stations.

Power batteries are actually a type of energy storage battery, mainly used in electric vehicles. Due to the size and weight limitations of the vehicle, as well as the requirements for starting and acceleration, power batteries have higher performance requirements than ordinary energy storage batteries. However, the requirements for ordinary energy storage batteries are not as high. According to standards, if the capacity of a power battery is less than 80%, it cannot be used in new energy vehicles anymore. However, with slight modifications, it can still be used in energy storage systems.

The difference between power batteries and energy storage batteries

① There is not much difference between energy storage batteries and new energy power batteries in terms of positive and negative electrode materials, electrolytes, separators, etc. However, compared to power batteries, energy storage batteries prioritize safety, cycling performance, and cost, and do not require good rate performance and temperature performance. Therefore, the requirements for material indicators and battery material ratios of energy storage batteries are significantly different from those of power batteries.

② Power batteries are mainly used in the fields of electric vehicles, electric bicycles, and other electric tools, while energy storage batteries are mainly used in peak shaving and frequency regulation power auxiliary services, renewable energy grid integration, and microgrids. As a mobile power source, power batteries have high requirements for volumetric energy density as much as possible while ensuring safety, in order to achieve longer endurance. However, energy storage batteries do not have direct requirements for energy density because the vast majority of energy storage devices do not require movement.

③ In terms of cost, power batteries face competition from traditional fuel power sources, while energy storage batteries need to face cost competition from traditional peak shaving and frequency regulation technologies. In addition, the scale of energy storage power stations is generally above the megawatt level or even hundreds of megawatts, so the cost requirements for energy storage batteries are lower than those for power batteries, and the safety requirements are also higher.

④ The energy storage battery management system is very similar to the power battery management system, but the power battery system is located on a high-speed moving electric vehicle, which has higher requirements for the power response speed and power characteristics of the battery, SOC estimation accuracy, and the number of state parameter calculations. The energy storage system has a huge scale, and there are significant differences between centralized battery management systems and energy storage battery management systems.

⑤ Power battery refers to the power source that provides power for tools, mostly referring to the storage battery that provides power for electric vehicles, electric trains, electric bicycles, and golf carts. It is mainly different from the starting battery used for starting car engines. Valve sealed lead-acid batteries, open tube lead-acid batteries, and lithium iron phosphate batteries are commonly used.

It is precisely based on the numerous differences between power batteries and energy storage batteries that it will be possible to develop dedicated battery cells for this application scenario. As China's energy storage application industry enters a large-scale era, the production of energy storage batteries is like an arrow on the string, ready to take off. It is reported that many domestic battery companies are conducting research and development of energy storage cells, and the pace of energy storage application batteries is getting closer and closer.