via University of Warwick
Highly efficient grid-scale electricity storage at fifth of cost – researchers modify hybrid flow battery electrodes with nanomaterials
Researchers in WMG at the University of Warwick, in collaboration with Imperial College London, have found a way to enhance hybrid flow batteries and their commercial use. The new approach can store electricity in these batteries for very long durations for about a fifth the price of current technologies, with minimal location restraints and zero emissions.
The researchers enhanced three hybrid flow cells using nitrogen doped graphene (exposed to nitrogen plasma) in a binder-free electrophoresis technique (EPD)
Wind and solar power are increasingly popular sources for renewable energy. Unfortunately, intermittency issues keep them from connecting widely to the National grid. One potential solution to this problem involves in the deployment of long-duration battery technology, such as the redox flow battery. Despite its great promise the current costs of this system are a key determining factor to real-world adoption. An affordable grid battery should cost £75/kWh, according to the US Department of Energy. Lithium-ion batteries, which lead the charge for grid storage, cost about £130/kWh.
Now WMG researchers have found a way of enhancing hybrid flow batteries or regenerative fuel cell (RFC) technology that could store electricity for very long durations for about one-fifth the cost of current storage technologies, with flexibility in siting and with minimal environmental impact. The technology combines carbon-based electrodes with economically sourced electrolytes, (manganese or sulphur, which are abundant chemicals in the planet) by means of a simple and yet highly effective electrophoretic deposition of nano-carbon additives (nitrogen-doped graphene) that enhance the electrode durability and performance significantly in highly acidic or alkaline environments.
The researchers have published their findings in a paper entitled, ‘Hybrid Redox Flow Cells with Enhanced Electrochemical Performance via Binderless and Electrophoretically Deposited Nitrogen-Doped Graphene on Carbon Paper Electrodes’ in the December 2020 edition of the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Dr Barun Chakrabarti, a Research Fellow in WMG at the University of Warwick and one of the lead authors on the paper said:
“This EPD technique is not only simple but also improves the efficiencies of three different economical hybrid flow batteries thereby increasing their potential for widespread commercial adoption for grid-scale energy storage.”
The hybrid flow battery’s total chemical cost is about 1/30th the cost of competing batteries, such as lithium-ion systems. Scaled-up technologies may be used to store electricity from wind or solar power, for multiple days to entire seasons, for about £15 to £20 per kilowatt hour. These batteries are also extremely useful for grid-scale load levelling applications as their design is very flexible due to their unique feature of sizing their power independently of their energy.
The energy density of a hybrid flow battery, especially the polysulphide/air system (S-Air), is 500 times higher than pumped hydroelectric storage. It is also so much more compact and can be placed near any renewable generation.
The Latest Updates from Bing News & Google News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Grid-scale electricity storage
- Energy Storage: A New Asset Class Buyers Of Power Should Consider Investing In
Investing in energy storage doesn’t just provide a pathway for reducing carbon emissions; it’s also a pathway for potential savings on electricity and energy costs.
- California crosses 10 GW battery storage threshold
California is adding massive amounts of battery energy storage, and the project pipeline shows no sign of slowing down. Batteries are playing an increasingly dominant role on the grid soaking up solar ...
- DNOs offer solar and storage projects earlier grid connection dates
Technical Limits’ has brought forward the grid connection offer dates of over 200 clean energy projects, including solar and storage.
- Data reveals big milestones for California's wind, water and solar power production
Renewable energy sources have been consistently meeting the state grid's power demands for the past couple of months.
- Building The Power Grid Of Tomorrow
The energy sector is undergoing a monumental shift as the power grid struggles to accommodate growing demand and the complexity of modern energy systems.
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Grid-scale electricity storage
[google_news title=”” keyword=”grid-scale electricity storage” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Hybrid flow battery
- GM and Ford's gas-powered profits and hybrid successes show how hard it will be for Tesla to weather an EV slowdown
Companies like GM and Ford can rely on hybrids and gas-powered cars to get through the EV slowdown. Tesla can't do that.
- Why buy a hybrid mattress? The 5 big benefits of foam and coil beds
Hybrid beds offer the contouring of a memory foam mattress, whilst the springs give that extra bit of bounce that makes it easier to move around as well as supporting joints and helping to maintain ...
- Lamborghini reveals new plug-in hybrid Urus
New Lamborghini Urus gets 800hp from its potent plug-in hybrid powertrain. Lamborghini reveals new plug-in hybrid Urus - CompleteCar.ie car news ...
- Are Maruti Suzuki’s Strong Hybrid Powertrains The Best Engine Options In 2024?
Maruti Suzuki, a brand known for democratising advanced automotive technologies, seems to have nailed the sustainability formula with its strong hybrids by marrying combustion and electrification.
- EU project HyFlow: Efficient, sustainable and cost-effective hybrid energy storage system for modern power grids
Over three years of research, the consortium of the EU project HyFlow has successfully developed a highly efficient, sustainable, and cost-effective hybrid energy storage system (HESS) that can meet ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Hybrid flow battery
[google_news title=”” keyword=”hybrid flow battery” num_posts=”5″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]