Panasonic's Lithium-Ion Storage Cell for Home Use

Panasonic recently purchased Sanyo, which has some very advanced and clever battery technology. Through this partnership, they have announced that they will be the first to produce a lithium-ion storage cell for home use. Even better, they say it will be released in 2011.

The biggest hurdle is not so much harnessing power from wind or solar, but to store that energy for use when the sun is down and the wind is calm. This will be an awesome thing if it comes true.

Years ago when we first dreamed of living where we do (including the need for alternative power based on our proximity to available power lines), they were promising that there would be whole-house fuel cells any time now. Then they talked about solar film that would be so cheap and plentiful, you could paper your house with it and produce all the power you'd ever need. Those manufacturers are still out there, but we have yet to see anything that you or I could purchase. Maybe this time our dreams will come true?

In related news, GM announced yesterday that it has built the first lithium-ion battery for their Chevy Volt.