How to trump the flow battery doubters
While some clean energy executives are worried over the new U.S. administration and its stance on the energy transition, others have been talking up the fossil fuel industry-friendly aspects of flow batteries that may be needed to power a boom in artificial intelligence-focused data centers.
Go with the flow (batteries)
There is a gap in the market for long-duration energy storage (LDES), according to US-based manufacturer ESS Inc. – one which can’t be plugged with lithium-ion chemistry. Hugh McDermott, of ESS Inc. tells pv magazine how he thinks iron flow batteries fit into the energy system of the future, as the company pursues global expansion.
California state grant advances 2 GWh iron flow battery deployment plans
The Sacramento Municipal Utility District’s long-duration battery energy storage project in partnership with ESS Tech, Inc. has been awarded a $10 million grant from the California Energy Commission to demonstrate the capability of iron flow battery technology.
Iron-based redox flow battery for grid-scale storage
Researchers in the U.S. have repurposed a commonplace chemical used in water treatment facilities to develop an all-liquid, iron-based redox flow battery for large-scale energy storage. Their lab-scale battery exhibited strong cycling stability over one thousand consecutive charging cycles, while maintaining 98.7% of its original capacity.
Evaluating the profitability of vanadium flow batteries
Researchers in Italy have estimated the profitability of future vanadium redox flow batteries based on real device and market parameters and found that market evolutions are heading to much more competitive systems, with capital costs down to €260/kWh at a storage duration of 10 hours.
CMBlu Energy’s organic flow batteries to be tested in microgrids, cold climates
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory and Idaho National Laboratory will carry out demonstration projects to validate long-duration energy storage tech developed by German manufacturer CMBlu Energy. The collaborative project is designed to improve microgrids in cold climates and make fast charging of electric vehicles more affordable in underserved communities.
Organic flow battery developer nets $106 million growth investment
CmBlu received funding to scale its long-duration energy storage systems.
Canada’s largest behind-the-meter solar project
Construction has begun on two solar projects in Alberta, one of which will include a flow battery energy storage system.
Sunrise brief: Los Angeles, Austin and Vermont plan to exceed 90% carbon-free power by 2030
Also on the rise: Honeywell invests in ESS to advance adoption of iron flow battery energy storage. Panasonic introduces half-cut HJT residential solar module, and more.
Sunrise brief: Solar giants bet big on U.S. manufacturing
Also on the rise: Redflow and Ameresco to deploy prototype microgrid at Stewart Air National Guard Base. Five new energy storage systems triples Enel’s footprint in Texas. And more.
