Freeze-Resistant Batteries That Don’t Lose Charge in Cold Temperatures Could Promote Renewable Energy Use

There’s an old wives’ tale on the internet: If you store your batteries in the fridge, the cold will keep them fresh and extend their lifespan. This supposed hack is so rampant even electronics manufacturer Panasonic had to debunk it in an FAQ.But this old wives’ tale is about to be proven true—at least for certain batteries. In a new study published on Wednesday in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, Chinese and American researchers constructed a rechargeable battery that can be kept frozen for months and thawed without any loss of electrical power. A solution like this for long-term battery storage could open up a greater potential for using batteries to further renewable energy goals.How much energy a battery stores and how long it lasts depends on what kinds of chemicals are stored inside and converted into electricity—a process that happens regardless of whether…

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