The challenge of storing intermittent renewable energy
Renewable energy is a key driver of the global transition to sustainable energy, and as more and more countries are investing in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, it is crucial to have efficient ways to store energy produced from these sources. Intermittent renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, are particularly challenging to store, as their energy production fluctuates frequently.
In the quest to find more efficient and cost-effective ways to store energy from intermittent renewable energy sources, scientists are constantly exploring new approaches. One such approach is the flow battery, which is a type of rechargeable battery that uses liquid electrolytes to store energy. The challenge with flow batteries has been their large size and high cost, making them difficult to scale up and integrate
with existing energy storage systems.
Liu’s Lab Breakthrough
A recent development in the field of flow batteries holds great promise for the future of renewable energy storage. A team of researchers led by Professor Guoying Liu at the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE) at Georgia Institute of Technology has developed a new and more compact flow battery cell configuration. This new configuration reduces the size of the cell by 75 per cent, and correspondingly reduces the size and cost of the entire flow battery.
The new flow battery design uses a high-energy-density non-aqueous liquid electrolyte and a highly conductive ceramic membrane to achieve a smaller and more efficient cell. The researchers also optimized the flow battery’s cell design to reduce the volume and cost of the battery, making it more scalable and accessible for a wider range of energy storage applications
The Advantages of a Compact Flow Battery Cell
The benefits of the new flow battery cell configuration are not just limited to its smaller size and lower cost. The new design also provides higher energy density, making it possible to store more energy in a smaller battery, and increased stability and safety compared to traditional flow batteries. This is especially important for large-scale energy storage applications, where safety and stability are critical.
The Future of Renewable Energy Storage
The new approach to flow batteries developed by Professor Liu’s lab holds great promise for the future of renewable energy storage. The compact and efficient design of the new flow battery cell configuration makes it possible to store energy from intermittent renewable energy sources at scale, providing a crucial step towards a more sustainable energy future. This development represents a significant milestone
in the journey towards more affordable, efficient, and scalable energy storage solutions.
