We have made many innovations when it comes to renewable energy technology, but we have a problem. We need a better way to store that energy. The solution is that we must invest new battery technologies to make sustainable energy viable. If the government can fund billions of dollars for renewable energy technologies, they must also invest in battery technology. If this problem isn 't solved, then the energy produced by renewables will never be able to be as effective as they could be and will always be overshadowed by fossil fuels and nuclear energy. Some problems without a proper way to store renewable energy stems from energy curtailment, negative energy prices and energy price spikes. There are current technologies …show more content…
Obama signed a 1.1 trillion-dollar bill on January 17, 2014 used towards green energy and other green technologies. There are many technologies that are being developed today. In the home, Tesla, the company famous for its well-performing electric cars have developed a product called the Powerwall. It 's a giant battery that enables its users to use electricity stored from solar panels on the roofs of the houses. It is designed to allow the users to have electricity when the solar panels aren 't able to collect sunlight and multiple or custom made Powerwalls can store and provide much more electricity for those who need it such as a small clinic or a retail store. For the industrial side of things, the company Aquion Energy introduced the concept of microgrids that are able to store large amounts of energy from local energy sources such as wind and solar farms and are able to provide round the clock electricity. These grids will be able to be placed in more places such as in rural areas and small neighborhoods outside of major energy producers and provide energy in a more sustainable way. The benefits of these microgrids are that they are saltwater based, they cost just as much a less green lead-acid battery but lasts twice as long, and has a longer reach to those who live farther away from the local renewable energy providers. Another technology being used are 3D printed batteries. Thanks to this M.I.T. developed technique, the 3D printed batteries can last longer, go faster, and are a lot cleaner. 3D printing technology has advanced enough to be able to print increasingly smaller objects and M.I.T. was able to a print a battery using lithium-ion resin in an interlocking pattern that make the molecules more compact and more efficient than batteries before it. It will allow for