What is a vanadium flow battery?

Unlike traditional batteries that degrade with use, Vanadium's unique ability to exist in multiple oxidation states makes it perfect for Vanadium Flow Batteries. This allows Vanadium Flow Batteries to store energy in liquid vanadium electrolytes, separate from the power generation process handled by the electrodes.

Are vanadium flow batteries a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries?

Lithium-ion batteries have dominated the ESS market to date. However, they have inherent limitations when used for long-duration energy storage, including low recyclability and a reliance on “conflict minerals” such as cobalt. Vanadium flow batteries (VFBs) are a promising alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage projects.

How long does a vanadium flow battery last?

Vanadium flow batteries “have by far the longest lifetimes” of all batteries and are able to perform over 20,000 charge-and-discharge cycles—equivalent to operating for 15–25 years—with minimal performance decline, said Hope Wikoff, an analyst with the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

What are vanadium redox flow batteries?

Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) provide long-duration energy storage. VRFBs are stationary batteries which are being installed around the world to store many hours of generated renewable energy. VRFBs have an elegant and chemically simple design, with a single element of vanadium used in the vanadium electrolyte solution.

Can a vanadium battery be reused?

At the end of the battery’s 25+ year lifespan, the vanadium electrolyte can be reused in another battery. It might only need to be rebalanced to recover any minor capacity loss over that time. For example, VRFB manufacturer CellCube reported a ~1% capacity loss for a VRFB that had been operating for 10 years.

Why are vanadium batteries more expensive than lithium-ion batteries?

As a result, vanadium batteries currently have a higher upfront cost than lithium-ion batteries with the same capacity. Since they're big, heavy and expensive to buy, the use of vanadium batteries may be limited to industrial and grid applications.