Lithium-ion batteries were introduced around three decades ago, and during this period, they have rapidly evolved with manufacturing capacities growing multifold and their applications today embracing multiple infrastructure segments, notes Mr. Shuichi Ito.
At the heart of the quest for sustainability lies a powerful catalyst: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Batteries. Since their introduction over three decades ago, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries have evolved from their simple application origins to the current state where their capacities have grown exponentially and their applications encompass a multitude of critical infrastructure sectors like mobility, logistics, energy etc. These rechargeable lithium-ion batteries now find application in a wide spectrum, from replacing fossil fuel based plants in large-scale grid storage to fueling the burgeoning demand for eco-conscious transportation.
Spearheading the transformation: Toshiba has been spearheading this transformation through its technologically advanced SCiB™ rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that present many industries an unprecedented opportunity to decarbonize their energy consumption. With its wide industrial and infrastructure applications, Toshiba’s SCiB™ rechargeable lithium-ion batteries can minimize environmental impact, create economic value and contribute to carbon neutrality. The SCiB™ rechargeable battery provides six distinct advantages that make them a preferred choice in various industrial and commercial applications.
- Extremely low fire hazard: There is a very low risk of fire or explosion from internal short-circuits caused by external pressure. Therefore, SCiB™ is suitable for various applications requiring high levels of safety and reliability.
- Long life of over 20,000 cycles: Only a small degree of capacity degradation occurs even after more than 20,000 cycles* of charging and discharging. This is especially beneficial in applications that require frequent charging/ discharging such as large-scale storage battery systems. (*Characteristics depends on cell type and usage conditions.)
- Rapid charging: SCiB™ allows automobiles, buses, and other vehicles to be charged more than 80% capacity in just 6 minutes at cell level. In addition, frequent rapid charging does not cause significant deterioration in capacity.
- High Input / Output: SCiB™ can be charged and discharged at high current making it store a large amount of regenerative power produced by a train or an automobile while the brake is being applied and provide a high current necessary for a motor to start.
- Wide Range Temp Operation: Even when SCiB™ is charged at low temperature, lithium metal does not precipitate allowing it to be charged and discharged repeatedly at temperatures as low as -30°C. SCiB™ performs well at high temperature also. It can normally operate at temperature up to +60°C.
- Wide SOC Range of 0% to 100%: SCiB™ can be used over the SOC range of 0% to 100% since it maintains excellent input/output characteristics over wide usable SOC range. This makes it possible to reduce the number of batteries mounted on a system.
Toshiba’s SCiB™: Delivering high value with low total ownership cost
SCiB™ cells keep more than 70% of capacity after 20,000 times* of State Of Charge (SOC) 100% charge-discharge cycles. There is much less degradation expected if SOC window is limited to SOC 50%-90%. This means SCiB™ packs does not require replacement for long time and since it is also maintenance free, the overall total cost of ownership is relatively lower. (*Characteristics depends on cell type and usage conditions.)
SCiB™ has both high input as well as high output feature and if needed, can be charged/ discharged in just 6 minutes, compared to more than 30 minutes for conventional batteries. This enables SCiB™ to reduce the battery capacity requirement. Smaller battery capacity requirement also means that the size of the battery can also be reduced, resulting in lower initial investment.
Toshiba’s SCiB™ : Application in critical Infrastructure Sectors
SCiB™ helps reduce fuel consumption and CO2, / NOx emissions, reduces life cycle costs and improves operating rates, saves space in battery systems, and enables the construction of highly safe and reliable battery systems. Therefore, SCiB™ is used in a wide range of fields of social infrastructure, from small devices, houses and roads, to factories, ports and power plants. Toshiba’s SCiB™ has been widely used for vehicle, industrial and infrastructure applications, including automobiles, buses, railroad cars, elevators and power plants.
Green Mobility
Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV): SCiB™ is the ideal lithium-ion battery for HEV because of its excellent input/output performance and long life. As of September 2023, SCiB™ has been installed in more than seven million HEVs.
Electric Buses: Electric buses using SCiB™ can be charged in a short period of time. They can therefore be designed with much smaller battery capacity and without the need for charging multiple vehicles at once, making it possible to provide wider passenger space and reduce the vehicle weight and cost. A bus operator can reduce total number of buses on any given route by frequent charging and discharging. The number of buses that can be reduced is more than 30% (depending on the availability of fast DC Chargers & round-trip distance). It is estimated globally 2,000 E-Buses approximately have applied so far to opportunity charging.
Railways: Trains with SCiB™ can be rapidly charged during limited electrified sections. SCiB™ is also suitable as backup power source which drive a train in case of emergency because of its safety and durability.
Electric Ships: Ferryboats using SCiB™ can be charged during a short port stop to cover the electricity required for a round trip. This saves the need to install a large battery capacity that allows a ferryboat to continue traveling for a whole day, making it possible to secure wide cabin space.
Green Energy: Electric Power Systems
Excellent cycle life characteristics of SCiB™ make it suitable for battery energy storage systems for primary frequency regulation. Its exceptional long cycle life characteristics support grid frequency regulation that requires repeated charging/discharging.
Green Logistics: AGVs and AMRs
The combination of the rapid-charging feature of SCiB™ and an automatic charging function makes it possible to create Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) that run on a battery alone. In addition, its long life helps extend the replacement purchase cycle, thereby reducing the operating cost and waste. SCiB™ also obviates the workload for battery replacement.
Toshiba’s SCiB™: Contribution to India’s Green Vision
Toshiba’s SCiB™ has been certified as “Excellent ECP (Environmentally Conscious Products)”of Toshiba Group’s internal certification program for its characteristics and design considerations that satisfy the following 3 key factors, which can contribute to a sustainable environment. Furthermore, Toshiba Battery Division established an environmental management system covering the entire business process to promote environmental business activities.
The Company recently signed an agreement with EVage Automotive Private Limited to supply its SCiB™ cells to power the next 10,000 EVage electric commercial vehicles. This is the first deployment of lithium titanium oxide (LTO) cells into commercial delivery vans, assisting EVage vehicles to achieve breakthroughs in battery safety, reliability and performance, a major benefit for its delivery fleet customers.
Toshiba’s unwavering commitment to India’s green goals underscores its dedication to sustainable development and environmental responsibility. Toshiba’s pledge of ‘Committed to People, Committed to the Future.’ represents sustainable development and growth at the core of its business operations. Toshiba India will provide advanced solutions by utilizing the unique characteristics of SCiB™ rechargeable lithium-ion cells to help create a Carbon Neutral India for a new day.
About the author: Mr. Shuichi Ito is Managing Director, Toshiba India Pvt Ltd
