Does My Company Run on Batteries?
Sometimes I look around Philip M Russell Ltd and wonder whether the company actually runs on electricity—or whether it really runs on batteries.
Batteries are everywhere.
They power the cameras used to record science experiments, sailing videos and workshop projects. They run microphones, lighting accessories, electronic test equipment and PASCO scientific sensors. They power drills, saws, garden equipment and portable tools.
Even the quieter parts of the business depend on them. Radio-controlled clocks, remote controls and several pieces of scientific equipment still rely on ordinary alkaline batteries.
Then there is the largest battery system of all: the one helping to run the house.
During the day, our solar panels generate electricity and recharge the household batteries. At night, when the panels are producing nothing, those batteries take over and provide much of the electricity we use.
The cameras have their batteries. The power tools have theirs. The garden equipment has another collection. The scientific equipment has still more.
It sometimes feels as though the whole company is connected by one invisible battery network.
From a Tiny AA Battery to a Whole-House System
The word “battery” covers an enormous range of devices.
At one end is the humble AA alkaline battery in a clock. It may provide a tiny current for a year or more before needing replacement.
At the other end is our household battery bank, storing electricity generated by 26 solar panels and releasing that energy when the house needs it.
Between those extremes are dozens of specialist rechargeable batteries:
camera battery packs;
power-tool batteries;
garden-tool batteries;
rechargeable AA and AAA cells;
batteries built into scientific sensors;
microphone and recording-equipment batteries;
emergency and backup batteries;
batteries in laptops, tablets and mobile phones.
Each battery is doing essentially the same job: storing chemical energy and turning it back into electrical energy when required.
However, the way each battery is used is very different.
A clock needs a very small, steady current. A camera recording high-resolution video may demand considerable power. A cordless saw may require a very large current for a short period. A household battery must repeatedly charge and discharge many kilowatt-hours of electricity while communicating with solar inverters and energy-management systems.
There is no single battery that is ideal for every one of these jobs.
Why We Still Use Alkaline Batteries
Rechargeable batteries are usually the greener choice when a device is used frequently. However, alkaline batteries have not disappeared—and there are good reasons for that.
Radio-controlled clocks use very little energy. An alkaline AA battery can work reliably for a long time without needing a charger or any attention.
Some scientific equipment is also designed specifically around the voltage produced by alkaline cells. For example, PASCO manuals for some instruments explicitly specify AA alkaline batteries, while many newer rechargeable PASCO products use lithium-polymer battery packs.
Rechargeable nickel-metal-hydride AA batteries normally provide about 1.2 volts, compared with approximately 1.5 volts from a fresh alkaline cell. Many devices work perfectly well with that difference, but some clocks, sensors and older electronic instruments do not.
That means replacing every disposable battery with a rechargeable one is not always as simple as it sounds.
My approach is to use rechargeable batteries where there is regular, significant demand, while retaining alkaline cells for very low-drain devices where they remain the most practical option.
The important point is that used alkaline batteries should not simply disappear into the general rubbish. UK government guidance says household batteries and battery packs should be taken to appropriate battery collection or recycling points.
Lithium Has Quietly Taken Over the Company
Most of our rechargeable equipment now relies on some form of lithium-based battery.
Lithium-ion batteries have several major advantages. They store a considerable amount of energy for their size and weight, deliver useful levels of power and do not suffer from the severe “memory effect” associated with some older rechargeable technologies.
That makes them ideal for cameras, power tools, garden equipment and portable scientific instruments.
Without lithium batteries, many of the things we now take for granted would be far less convenient.
A battery-powered camera can be carried around a sailing club, mounted on a boat or positioned beside an experiment without requiring a mains cable.
A cordless drill can be taken directly to Champagne, our Thames A-Rater, without running an extension cable across the workshop or towards the river.
Battery garden tools start immediately, avoid petrol fumes and are far quieter than many traditional alternatives.
Our household batteries allow solar electricity generated in the afternoon to be used during the evening and overnight. Instead of exporting all our surplus electricity when the Sun is shining and buying it back later, we can store a substantial proportion of it.
The battery is therefore not merely an emergency backup. It changes when and how we use the electricity generated by the house.
The House Charges by Day and Discharges by Night
Our home energy system has changed the way I think about electricity.
Traditionally, electricity was something that simply arrived through a wire. We turned on an appliance and the electricity was there.
Solar panels and batteries make energy much more visible.
On a bright day, I can see the solar panels powering the house, heating water and recharging the batteries. As evening approaches, solar generation falls. The batteries then begin supplying the house.
During spring, summer and early autumn, we can generate nearly all the electricity we need. The batteries effectively carry daylight into the night.
This also changes our behaviour.
We can choose when to run the dishwasher, washing machine or heat-pump tumble dryer. In summer, it often makes sense to use appliances while solar generation is high. In winter, an overnight time-of-use tariff may make it cheaper to recharge the batteries and run certain appliances when electricity prices are lower.
The battery is not just an object bolted to a wall. It becomes part of the daily management of the house.
Batteries Have Made the Business More Flexible
The same principle applies on a smaller scale throughout the company.
Battery power means equipment can go where it is needed.
When recording an experiment, a camera can be positioned above the bench, beside a measuring instrument or close to a reaction vessel. When photographing wildlife, there is no need for a nearby power supply. When filming from the Whaly safety boat or an A-Rater, batteries make the entire recording system portable.
In the workshop, cordless tools allow us to move quickly between boat repair, cover making, 3D printing, laser work and general maintenance.
That flexibility is easy to overlook.
We notice a battery when it is flat, but rarely appreciate how much freedom it provides while it is working.
The Less Convenient Side of Battery Power
Running so much equipment on batteries creates its own problems.
There are always batteries waiting to be charged. There are charged batteries that need identifying, partly used batteries whose condition is uncertain and older batteries that appear full on the charger but collapse quickly under load.
Camera batteries are particularly noticeable because video recording can be demanding. High-resolution recording, image stabilisation, autofocus, bright displays and wireless connections all consume power. Heat generated by prolonged recording can add further stress.
Power-tool batteries face a different challenge. They may sit unused for days and then suddenly be asked to deliver a very high current.
Garden batteries may spend part of the year in storage before being used heavily during spring and summer.
Household batteries work more predictably, but they experience repeated daily cycling and must be managed by their battery-management system.
A company that uses this many batteries needs to treat them as equipment rather than disposable accessories.
What Are Battery Dendrites?
One of the most interesting—and potentially serious—battery problems is the formation of dendrites.
The word comes from the Greek word for tree. Under certain conditions, metallic lithium can begin to form branching, needle-like structures inside a battery.
During normal charging, lithium ions should move through the electrolyte and settle into the structure of the negative electrode. If charging conditions are unsuitable, lithium can instead plate onto the electrode surface.
Research identifies low-temperature charging, excessive charging rates, overcharging and some system faults as conditions that can encourage lithium plating.
If deposits continue growing, they may develop irregular or dendritic structures. In the worst case, a structure could penetrate the separator between the battery’s electrodes, creating an internal short circuit.
However, an important qualification is needed.
When one of my camera batteries loses capacity, refuses to charge or behaves unpredictably, I cannot look at the outside and confidently say that dendrites caused the failure.
Capacity loss can have many causes:
chemical ageing;
prolonged exposure to heat;
repeated deep discharge;
storage while fully charged;
over-discharge during long storage;
increased internal resistance;
deterioration of the electrolyte;
failure of the battery-management electronics;
physical damage.
Dendrite formation is one possible internal failure mechanism, but it is not the explanation for every failed lithium battery.
Warning Signs That Should Never Be Ignored
Battery ageing is normal. Physical distortion is not.
A battery should be removed from use if it:
swells or changes shape;
becomes unusually hot during normal use or charging;
gives off an unusual smell;
leaks;
has damaged or corroded terminals;
has been crushed, punctured or seriously dropped;
repeatedly causes charger errors;
loses power suddenly and unpredictably.
Lithium-ion battery failures can, in rare circumstances, lead to thermal runaway—a self-heating process that can result from internal short circuits, electrical abuse, mechanical damage or excessive heat.
A swollen camera or tool battery should not be forced back into its compartment. Neither should it be dismantled as a home experiment.
It should be isolated from combustible materials and taken through an appropriate battery recycling or specialist disposal route.
How We Try to Look After Our Batteries
No battery lasts forever, but good management can extend its useful life.
Avoid Unnecessary Heat
Heat accelerates many of the chemical processes that age lithium batteries.
I avoid leaving batteries in direct sunlight, in a hot vehicle or beside equipment producing significant heat. Camera batteries used during long recordings are allowed to cool before being recharged.
The same applies to power-tool batteries. A battery that has just powered a demanding saw or drill may already be warm. Connecting it immediately to a rapid charger may add further heat.
Do Not Store Everything Fully Charged
A full battery is convenient, but leaving a lithium battery at maximum charge for months can increase chemical stress.
For long-term camera battery storage, Canon advises keeping batteries in a cool, dry, ventilated place and aiming for approximately 50% charge rather than a full charge. It also recommends checking and recharging batteries periodically to avoid damaging over-discharge.
That does not mean every working battery must always be stopped at exactly 50%. A battery needed for tomorrow’s recording should be charged sufficiently to do the job.
The distinction is between preparing a battery for immediate use and storing it for several months.
Avoid Charging Very Cold Batteries
Cold conditions can make lithium plating more likely because lithium ions move less readily through the cell.
A battery brought in from a cold shed, boat or vehicle should be allowed to reach a suitable temperature before charging. The manufacturer’s specified charging-temperature range should always take priority.
Remove Batteries from Seldom-Used Equipment
Alkaline cells can leak after long periods, potentially destroying contacts and circuit boards.
Rechargeable batteries can also continue to experience a small drain while left in equipment. Canon warns that leaving a battery in an unused camera for a prolonged period can contribute to over-discharge.
Removing batteries from equipment that will not be used for months can prevent an unpleasant surprise later.
Label and Rotate Battery Packs
With several similar camera batteries, it is easy to use the same two repeatedly while others remain untouched.
Numbering the batteries makes it possible to rotate them and identify a pack that is repeatedly underperforming.
A simple label such as “R5C-1”, “R5C-2” or “Workshop Drill-3” can reveal patterns that would otherwise be missed.
Keep a Battery Register
For a business with many battery systems, a simple battery register is surprisingly useful.
It can record:
equipment name;
battery type;
date purchased;
charger used;
approximate number of cycles;
observed running time;
storage location;
faults or unusual behaviour;
date removed from service;
recycling or disposal route.
This does not need to become complicated. A small spreadsheet or labelled storage system may be enough.
The aim is to stop batteries becoming anonymous objects scattered between drawers, bags, chargers and equipment cases.
The Environmental Contradiction
Batteries are helping us reduce our environmental impact.
Our house batteries make better use of solar generation. Rechargeable tool batteries reduce our use of disposable cells. Battery garden equipment avoids storing and burning petrol. Batteries allow electric boats and other equipment to be charged using electricity generated at home.
Yet batteries also require raw materials, energy-intensive manufacturing and careful end-of-life treatment.
That creates an important contradiction.
Batteries can support a lower-carbon lifestyle, but they are not environmentally free.
The most sustainable battery is not necessarily the one with the newest chemistry. It may be the battery that is correctly sized, responsibly manufactured, properly maintained, used for many years and then recycled through the right system.
Are Better Batteries Finally Arriving?
Researchers and manufacturers are developing several alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Sodium-ion batteries are particularly interesting because sodium is abundant and does not require lithium, nickel or cobalt in the same way as many established battery chemistries. In April 2025, CATL announced its Naxtra sodium-ion battery and described it as the first mass-produced sodium-ion battery of its kind.
That does not mean sodium-ion batteries will immediately replace every camera, drill or household battery.
Different applications have different requirements. Cameras need compact, lightweight batteries with high energy density. Power tools need very high power delivery. Home storage places less emphasis on weight but needs long life, safety and competitive cost.
A technology that works well for stationary energy storage may not be the best choice for a camera.
Solid-state batteries are another promising development. Replacing a conventional liquid electrolyte with a solid material could improve safety and may allow the use of higher-energy electrode materials.
However, solid-state batteries still face manufacturing, interface, pressure, durability and cost challenges. Even solid electrolytes do not automatically eliminate every possibility of dendritic growth.
Toyota and Idemitsu have said they are working towards initial commercialisation of all-solid-state vehicle batteries in 2027–28, followed by larger-scale production. As of August 2026, that target is still in the future rather than evidence of widespread availability in everyday equipment.
Flow batteries, lithium-sulphur systems, lithium-air batteries, improved lithium iron phosphate batteries and several other chemistries are also being developed.
The future will probably not be built around one miraculous replacement for lithium-ion. It is more likely to involve several battery chemistries, each matched to a particular task.
What I Would Like from the Next Generation of Batteries
For cameras, I would like batteries that:
last considerably longer during video recording;
create less heat;
retain their capacity for more years;
report their true condition accurately;
use standardised formats rather than a different pack for every device;
can be repaired or recelled safely;
use materials with lower environmental and social costs.
For power tools and garden equipment, I would like greater compatibility between products. At present, buying a tool often means buying into another proprietary battery and charger system.
For scientific equipment, replaceable battery modules are preferable to equipment being discarded simply because an internal battery has reached the end of its life. PASCO already provides replacement information and tools for the batteries in several of its products, which is a much better approach than treating the entire instrument as disposable.
For household storage, I would like long-lived batteries designed around repairability, modular replacement and straightforward recycling.
Most of all, I would like battery health to become clearer. Too many batteries appear normal until they suddenly fail.
A Battery-Powered Company Needs a Battery Strategy
Perhaps the greatest lesson is that batteries should not be treated as an afterthought.
They are part of the company’s infrastructure.
Without them, cameras stop recording, tools stop working, sensors stop collecting data and solar electricity cannot be carried so effectively into the night.
A sensible battery strategy therefore means:
choosing the correct battery for each task;
avoiding unnecessary disposable batteries;
buying reliable batteries and chargers;
storing batteries appropriately;
monitoring ageing and unusual behaviour;
replacing damaged batteries before they become hazardous;
recycling every battery through the correct route;
considering battery compatibility before buying new equipment.
Those actions will not create a perfect battery system, but they can reduce waste, expense, disruption and risk.
Conclusion: The Hidden Infrastructure of Modern Life
My company does not literally run on batteries alone.
It runs on ideas, teaching, practical science, photography, engineering, music, boat projects and the willingness to keep learning.
But batteries make a remarkable amount of that work possible.
They carry solar energy from the afternoon into the night. They allow cameras to record away from the studio. They power tools beside the river, sensors on an experiment and equipment around the garden.
The smallest battery may quietly move the hands of a clock. The largest may help power an entire house.
We often think of batteries as accessories. Increasingly, they are infrastructure.
They deserve to be selected carefully, maintained properly and recycled responsibly.
Better alternatives are arriving—but unevenly and for different applications. Until those technologies become widely available, the best approach is not simply to wait for the perfect battery.
It is to make the batteries we already own last longer, use them intelligently and recognise just how much of modern life now depends upon them.
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