# Energy-Conserving Batteries The Iron-Air Battery is an Eco-Friendly Alternative By Trenton Millar | Published 2012-08-04 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ironair-battery References: [holykaw.alltop](http://holykaw.alltop.com/breathing-battery-saves-energy-for-rainy-day) & [futurity.org](http://www.futurity.org/science-technology/breathing-battery-saves-energy-for-rainy-day/) Dr. Sri Narayan and his team at USC have drastically improved the iron-air battery. When the battery was first conceived in the 1970s it lost up to 50% of the energy within it. Dr. Narayan has added bismuth to the batteries (which can also be found in Pepto-Bismol) to reduce this energy loss to only 4%! The iron-air battery generates energy through the oxidation of iron plates -- a process similar to rusting. The batteries can store between eight and 24 hours of power. Though [solar and wind power generation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sustainable-energy-solutions) are getting better and better, there remains a difficulty in [storing this energy](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/battery-energy-storage-solutions) for use when it is not sunny or windy. The iron-air battery is a possible solution to this issue. Dr. Narayan is still working on the battery to make it able to store even more energy. He also has a patent pending on the technology. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.6/10 - Popularity: 26% | Activity: 74% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Improved Iron-air Battery:** The improved iron-air battery with reduced energy loss provides an eco-friendly energy storage solution. - **Renewable Energy Storage:** Iron-air batteries offer a potential solution for efficient energy storage, addressing the challenge of intermittency in renewable energy sources. - **Bismuth-enhanced Batteries:** The integration of bismuth in batteries demonstrates the potential for incorporating new materials to enhance energy storage capabilities. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Renewable Energy:** Iron-air batteries have disruptive innovation potential in the renewable energy industry, enabling efficient energy storage for solar and wind power systems. - **Battery Technology:** The advancements in iron-air batteries present disruptive innovation opportunities in the battery technology industry, with potential for improved energy storage solutions. - **Clean Technology:** The development of eco-friendly iron-air batteries aligns with the growing market demand for clean technology, offering disruptive innovation for energy storage solutions. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Crustacean-Based Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crab-shell-batteries.md) - [Heatwave-Resistant Alkaline Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urban-electric-power.md) - [Paper-Based Energy Storage](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/paper-battery.md) - [Sustainable Metal-Hydrogen Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/enervenue.md) - [Improved Battery Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/battery-sustainability.md) - [Recyclable Water-Based Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alsym-energy.md) - [High-Performance Appliance Batteries](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/backup-by-biolite.md) - [Ultra-Thin Battery Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/energy-storage-technology.md) - [Sodium-Ion Battery Technologies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sodiumion-battery1.md)