Technologies for energy storage-Present and future: flow batteries

Flow batteries, sometimes known as redox batteries, flow cells or regenerative fuel cells are a special kind of electrochemical device, lying between a secondary battery and a fuel cell. In common with a secondary battery they can be charged and discharged. Fuel cells can deliver power for as long as they are supplied with fuel and an oxidising agent. Flow batteries can deliver power as long as they are supplied with charged electrolytes. In this paper, the author describes how the critical issues for successful commercial exploitation of flow batteries are the manufacturing, installation, system integration, reliability and operation and maintenance. For large scale applications, flow batteries have the potential to offer a low through life costs. Smaller systems have now demonstrated their capability and after successful operation of the “first of a kind” large-scale plants, and the acceptance of the technology, flow batteries will be an established alternative to other storage technologies