HP will be the first laptop maker to offer a new battery designed to maintain its energy capacity over the life of a laptop, according to an announcement from the battery maker, Boston-Power, based in Westborough, MA. The battery will be available as an option for some HP laptops starting next year.

The capacity of most batteries fades markedly after just a few months, making it hard to predict how long a laptop will last between charges. Boston-Power says that the new battery will last three years without fading and that it charges to 80 percent capacity in just 30 minutes.

The battery, which has been certified by more than one environmental organization for green design and manufacturing, should also be safer than ordinary laptop batteries, which have been known to catch fire.

For more details on the battery design and chemistry, see "A Better Battery for Laptops."

Update: In a conversation this afternoon, Christina Lampe-Onnerud, the company's CEO and founder, said that the initial HP charging systems won't be able to take advantage of the 30 minute charging time, although doing so will require relatively simple changes that will be available soon. She also said the company has started work on a battery for electric cars, and expects to have news on this front next year.