ANTOFAGASTA, CHILE: Lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from cellphones to cars, are increasingly saving electric grids around the world.
Batteries as large as shipping containers are being connected to power lines and installed beside solar panels and wind turbines. They soak up power when it’s plentiful and cheap and release it when electricity use soars, helping reduce the need for expensive power plants and lines.
American researchers invented the lithium-ion battery in the 1970s and later showed that the devices could help the electric…
