What is a flow battery?

The larger the electrolyte supply tank, the more energy the flow battery can store. Flow batteries can serve as backup generators for the electric grid. Flow batteries are one of the key pillars of a decarbonization strategy to store energy from renewable energy resources.

How does a flow battery store energy?

The larger the electrolyte supply tank, the more energy the flow battery can store. The aqueous iron (Fe) redox flow battery here captures energy in the form of electrons (e-) from renewable energy sources and stores it by changing the charge of iron in the flowing liquid electrolyte.

Can flow batteries be used for large-scale electricity storage?

Associate Professor Fikile Brushett (left) and Kara Rodby PhD ’22 have demonstrated a modeling framework that can help speed the development of flow batteries for large-scale, long-duration electricity storage on the future grid. Brushett photo: Lillie Paquette. Rodby photo: Mira Whiting Photography

What is a Technology Strategy assessment on flow batteries?

This technology strategy assessment on flow batteries, released as part of the Long-Duration Storage Shot, contains the findings from the Storage Innovations (SI) 2030 strategic initiative.

Can iron-based aqueous flow batteries be used for grid energy storage?

A new iron-based aqueous flow battery shows promise for grid energy storage applications. A commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities has been repurposed for large-scale energy storage in a new battery design by researchers at the Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Where do flow batteries come from?

China and Russia dominate the market for vanadium, the metal that makes flow batteries durable and easy to maintain. “The supply chain for vanadium is extremely precarious,” said Kara Rodby, a battery analyst at the investment firm Volta Energy Technologies. Still, flow batteries are making their debut in big real-world projects.