It only takes one
Looks like the Norwegians may take the crown this year for finally figuring out how to crack (pun intended) the tendency of Silicon to break down when used in batteries. If it pans out, expect 3-5x energy density. And even better news, if they can simply swap out the part in existing factories (i.e. just sell the anodes) then factories like Teslas will remain relevant for at least another decade.
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/12/researchers-in-norway-claim-lithium-ion-battery-breakthrough/
https://cleantechnica.com/2018/07/12/researchers-in-norway-claim-lithium-ion-battery-breakthrough/
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I doubt that it either helps or hurts. The electrolyte has been the big flammability culprit to date, which is why many are trying to create solid electrolytes.
I don't subscribe to any particular one of the items in the labs as being "the one;" only that mathematically at least one will succeed and usher in the next stair-step in the exponential cycle. Some are doubtless scams like EEStor; some they will simply fail to work around some flaw such as low number of charge cycles (at least yet - some chemistries have recently received renewed interest exactly because they figured out how to expand the number of charge cycles). I just keep throwing them out because eventually some of the skeptics will finally "get it" - that unless technology comes grinding to a sudden halt it is already inevitable that cheap batteries and solar are on the way. The only things that stop that cycle are the limits of physics; the cost of raw materials and labor; or us simply running out of new ideas. The first is overcome with new paradigms (e.g. Lead Acid gives way to NiCad gives way to LiIon etc.); the second by focusing more on manufacturing techniques (24M) or giving cheaper materials another look (sulfur, carbon, water, iron). The third hasn't really happened yet.
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