Battery in/formation: Modalities of energy in transition

In the ongoing energetic transition to renewable energy sources (RES), increasing attention is paid to modes of energy storage. Modes of energy extraction and storage have historically played a pivotal role in the development of global capitalism. The shift from RES to fossil fuels in the 19th century caused a significant change in the relations between workers and capital. Since then, fossil fuels have been utilized as a dominant source of energy, reproducing specific abstract space and time that allowed capitalism to expand. However, this mode of energy has reached a limit and therefore, new ways of extracting, distributing, and consuming energy are sought. Due to the intermittent character of energy from RES increasing focus is oriented towards energy storage and its coordination via the information technologies. One of the predominant technologies for energy storage is apparently the battery. This paper analyzes the dynamics of energy valuation practices mediated by different types of batteries while it explores the battery as an information processing device rather than an energy source. The analysis focuses on three case studies of battery - the virtual battery, Bitcoin-as-battery, and Lithium-ion battery - while each case study focuses on a different aspect of the valuation process. Based on the case studies, three modalities of energy from RES are identified: account, waste, and stock. The virtual battery operates as an accounting device recording outputs and inputs of energy. It allows the semblance of delayed consumption. On the other hand, Bitcoin-as-battery transforms excess waste energy into a unique digital object with high liquidity on international markets. Lithium-ion battery allows energy from renewable sources to be stored and marketized in the form of stock. These modalities are a product of the valuation process, which aims to abstract the intermittent energy produced by RES and transform it into a commodified object.