Volta Energy Technologies CTO Dave Schroeder discusses the duration threshold where flow batteries achieve cost parity with lithium-ion grid storage.
Assertion Supported
Schroeder: EVs have fewer fires per vehicle than ICE cars
“There are still a lot fewer of them on a per EV basis than there are internal combustion engine vehicle fires on a per ICE basis.”
Opinion
Schroeder: Investors Must Treat Lithium-Ion Winning as the Null Hypothesis
“And I think, you know, so as an investor in the space, we always try to disprove this hypothesis, but I think the null hypothesis has to be lithium ion wins. And, you know, then you have to see if you can come up with ways that that's not the case, but you hav…”
Insight
Schroeder: Thermal storage IP cannot stop rivals using alternative cycles
“They might have intellectual property that prevents someone from directly copying what they're doing, but they can't stop all of these other people who could generate nominally the same performance from pursuing what they're pursuing.”
Opinion
Schroeder: 'Range anxiety' is a product deficiency, not a customer flaw
“So I think it really should be looked at as a product deficiency. And not as a customer deficiency. I don't think that's helpful. I don't think it's helpful to people who want EV adoption to happen.”
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Schroeder: Silicon-dominant battery anodes will soon become prevalent
“People have been working at it for a long time, but I think we're getting close to where some of these silicon dominant anode materials will start to become prevalent.”
Prediction Not checkable as stated
Schroeder: EV market will use multiple battery chemistries, not one holy grail
“I definitely am not a believer in a single holy grail of batteries that, that solves all problems. I think it's, you know, it's going to be a number of solutions to solve different application cases”