As the demand for and implementation of renewable energy grows, so too does demand for solutions which can store this energy in order to regulate when it is used.
This market is growing rapidly around the world and there is significant investment in new and developing technology to best service this need. Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries are fast becoming a preferred choice for suppliers and there are a number of companies worldwide which are commercialising this technology.
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries have advantages over other systems due to their;
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Scalability
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Lifespan of 20 years
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Immediate energy release
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Excellent charge retention (up to 1 year)
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Suitability for grid connection
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Ability to discharge 100% with no damage
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Key feature of using only one element in electrolyte; V2O5
The VRB is capable of meeting precise energy and power demands of almost any size. If, by comparison, you were to connect a long series of conventional (e.g., leadacid) batteries, that string would inevitably be weakened by the differing energy levels within each independent cell. A VRB, on the other hand, contains cells with nearly identical characteristics, since they all share the same energy-bearing electrolyte. This makes the upper limit of the energy-to-power ratio of a flow battery virtually unlimited. The VRB is distinct from hybrid flow batteries (such as zinc-bromine or sodium sulfur, for example) which have one reactive electrode and therefore suffer from the degradation drawbacks of conventional batteries. Using only Vanadium in the electrolyte – as opposed to a blend of electrochemical elements – gives the VRB the most competitive advantage in terms of operating cost, system life, maintenance, and safety.