Researchers at the Energy Storage Research Department at the Korea Institute of Energy Research have found an alternative for vanadium, an important component of redox flow batteries, an active area of research globally.
Renewable energy technology such as wind and solar can only be adopted on a large scale if a suitable energy storage solution is available. This storage solution can help overcome the intermittent nature of energy generation of this technology and supply power when needed, even if the sun is not shining or the wind isn’t blowing.
Redox flow batteries are better than lithium-ion batteries because they can have a flexible layout, drastically decreasing the risk of fire. The battery’s power output can be scaled up easily by increasing the size of the stack. The research team used the functional groups sulfonate and ester, which are water-friendly, making their dispersion easier in the electrolyte.