People love smartphones but are disappointed by their battery life. We enjoy accessing information from around the world through our phones, but are unhappy with the constant need to charge them. Rechargeable batteries have let us down, but thankfully, new types of batteries are on the market soon.
We may be entering the early stages of the development of lithium-ion fuel cell batteries. Besides extending device lifespan by 10 times, lithium-ion fuel cell batteries will also lay the foundation for billions of people to enter the electric age.
Refueling vs. Charging
In January of this year, news circulated on social media that an iPhone with a battery life of up to a week would be unveiled at CES (International Consumer Electronics Show).
And images of hydrogen fuel cell-powered lithium battery drones with a flight time six times that of other battery models:
This indicates that smartphone and laptop power systems are about to usher in a revolution in fuel cell-powered lithium batteries.
At the heart of these two news items is a remarkable energy technology: miniature fuel cell lithium-ion batteries. Simply put, these batteries convert chemical energy into electrical energy. When a device needs more power, the user simply adds more fuel, eliminating the need to wait for a physical charge or use a charger. Clean fuel is readily available worldwide.
The inventor of this groundbreaking technology is the British company Intelligent Energy. While not a household name, industry insiders recognize that Intelligent Energy has the potential to be a game-changer in powering mobile devices. These miniature fuel-powered lithium batteries could also revolutionize the way clean fuels and electricity are supplied.
While the iPhones and drones at CES made headlines, an even more important earlier piece of news was overlooked. In 2015, Intelligent Energy reached an OEM agreement with a startup smartphone developer to develop embedded fuel cell lithium-ion batteries. What did this mean? Existing technology would render chargers or charging pads obsolete.
Intelligent Energy isn't the only company developing miniature fuel cell lithium-ion batteries. Brunton, MyFCJAQ, Kraftwerk, and Ardica have launched first-generation miniature fuel cell lithium-ion batteries on the market—sold like chargers to campers, business travelers, and the military. The challenge for these companies is to avoid labeling their products as "battery charging systems" and instead position the technology as a new type of portable personal power source.
All eyes are on the decisions of manufacturers like Foxconn, Apple, Samsung, and Sony, who are poised to bring fuel cell lithium-ion batteries into homes. They aim to supply products with unprecedented power, performance, and convenience. For manufacturers, embedding power generation facilities in devices is a small step, but for consumers seeking to escape the daily need to charge their devices, it's a giant leap forward.
Mobile devices powered by lithium-ion batteries represent an ideal business model: offering greater convenience to consumers, but at a higher price. Opponents of lithium-ion batteries may question whether consumers are willing to forgo cheap electricity (costing less than $10 per year for charging) in exchange for expensive fuel (costing $30-$100 per year). Supporters, on the other hand, cite bottled water as an example of the success of a portable, high-priced model that is inexpensive.
Hydrogen-rich fuel will be sold through retail stores and public places, similar to the charging stations currently installed in shopping malls and airports. Since fuel cell lithium batteries have a range 6-10 times longer than rechargeable batteries, devices will not require frequent refueling. It's conceivable that as fuel cell lithium batteries mature in the coming years, smartphones may only need to be refueled once every one or two months. The significant advantage of fuel cell lithium batteries lies in the ability of devices to operate for extended periods, eliminating user concerns about devices failing due to low battery.
Opportunities and challenges
Will fuel cell lithium-ion batteries use hydrogen or liquid fuels like butane, found in lighters? Standards for refueling miniature fuel cell lithium-ion batteries have yet to be established, similar to the Beta-VHS war in the VCR industry. The most likely winner will be portable hydrogen-rich gas, liquid, or solid fuel packs.
Portable fuel packs and miniature lithium-ion fuel cells will propel the development of clean technologies into a new phase: market-driven growth independent of subsidies. While solar, wind, and battery storage rely on government subsidies for growth, miniature lithium-ion fuel cells can achieve growth without them. Selling fuels through retail channels opens up a path entirely driven by consumer demand, with consumers willing to pay for hydrogen-rich fuels because they offer longer battery life.
Hydrogen has one advantage as an energy carrier for portable personal power sources: hydrogen-rich fuel suppliers are emerging in any region of the world. Concerns about energy loss from producing and storing hydrogen have "disappeared" thanks to researchers' improvements to the nanomaterials that drive chemical reactions.
Innovation in micro fuel cell-powered lithium-ion batteries will be crucial in the next decade. The prospect of fuel-based power systems is very attractive, and the maturity of this technology means it will soon reach its S-curve tipping point.
The iPhone 10 may use a fuel cell lithium battery.
No manufacturers have yet released a roadmap for the development of new portable power supplies. However, by deeply considering the positioning of industry manufacturers and consumer dissatisfaction with batteries, we can expect the first generation of fuel cell lithium batteries for smartphones and laptops to emerge within the next five years. Then, the cost curve will gradually decrease, and mass adoption will begin. In the near future, the media may report the following:
August 2018: Hydrogen fuel cell lithium batteries made their debut at Burning Man. Burning Man, which began in 1986, promotes community, inclusivity, creativity, fashion, and anti-consumerism, and is held annually from late August to early September.
September 2020: Apple's CEO announced that the iPhone 10 would use an embedded lithium-ion battery. While users praised the exquisite design of the iFuel lithium-ion battery, they overlooked the fact that each consumer charging their iPhone annually generates $85 in revenue for Apple. Apple fans argue that the high price of the iFuel lithium-ion battery is worthwhile considering the convenience it brings, as users only need to charge their phones twice a month.
December 2022: The Chinese government announced a five-year plan to promote the use of fuel cell lithium batteries in consumer and industrial devices.
April 2024: Intel acquired Intelligent Energy for $6 billion, marking a new direction for its foray into the clean energy sector.
November 2028: Retailers begin promoting products powered by lithium-ion batteries. IKEA has announced plans to phase out electrical wires by 2035, and GE is selling an LED light bulb that carries the fuel it needs for its entire lifespan.
May 2029: Texas issues building permits for homes that do not require wiring. Texas becomes the first state in the U.S. to issue permits for residential and commercial homes that do not require wiring or outlets.
October 2030: Amazon and Walmart vie for the title of the world's largest fuel retailer. Major retailers see an opportunity in selling a wide variety of fuels, with Amazon and Walmart announcing plans to become the world's largest fuel distributor. Energy sector stocks continue to decline.
Future Development Path
After 2030, manufacturers may begin to see coffee machines, lamps, irons, vacuum cleaners, washer-dryers, and other devices benefit from longer battery life and the elimination of power cords. Product designers will be excited about eliminating cords and sockets, as users can simply refuel to keep their devices running.
Furthermore, lithium-ion batteries will greatly expand the reach of electricity. Clean fuels can be made available worldwide at different price points, and various regions can utilize their own resources to produce hydrogen-rich fuels, making the establishment of a low-cost lithium-ion battery supply chain not inconceivable.
The gap between the use of fuel cell lithium-ion batteries in smartphones and the global energy market remains significant. To bridge this gap, companies like Intelligent Energy need to address deep-seated technological challenges and adopt sustainable business models. Currently, miniature fuel cell lithium-ion batteries offer an attractive prospect: replacing traditional batteries and propelling billions of people into the electric age.
