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For many, using lithium-ion batteries to store energy has proven to be too expensive to be worth-while. This happens to not be the case for Chris Shelton of AES Energy Storage.

The proliferation of portable consumer electronics such as computers, cell phones and e-book readers combined with expected expanded production of hybrid and all-electric vehicles has placed significant new demands upon manufacturers for low-cost, energy efficient and environmentally-friendly batteries.

The project is based on a gradual introduction of hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses and aims to set up bus fleets with fuel cell vehicles and the necessary infrastructure.

Batteries for all-electric vehicles must deliver high power densities in addition to high energy densities, Koatkar said. These vehicles today use supercapacitors to perform power-intensive functions, such as starting the vehicle and rapid acceleration, in conjunction with conventional batteries that deliver high energy density for normal cruise driving and other operations. Koratkar said the invention of nanoscoops may enable these two separate systems to be combined into a single, more efficient battery unit.