Is a flow battery a long-term solution for EV charging?

The US Department of Energy has been looking at various long duration solutions for EV charging, and the latest one to attract attention is a flow battery system developed by the German startup CMBlu, under the proprietary name SolidFlow.

What is flow battery technology?

One such device is undergoing tests right now in Chicago, at repurposed gas station from the 1970s outfitted with EV charging stations. Flow battery technology is literally based on the ability of two specialized liquids to generate electricity as they flow adjacent to each other, separated by a thin membrane.

Are flow batteries scalable?

Scalability: One of the standout features of flow batteries is their inherent scalability. The energy storage capacity of a flow battery can be easily increased by adding larger tanks to store more electrolyte.

How do flow batteries work?

“A flow battery takes those solid-state charge-storage materials, dissolves them in electrolyte solutions, and then pumps the solutions through the electrodes,” says Fikile Brushett, an associate professor of chemical engineering at MIT. That design offers many benefits and poses a few challenges. Flow batteries: Design and operation

Can a flow battery be expanded?

The energy storage capacity of a flow battery can be easily increased by adding larger tanks to store more electrolyte. This is a key advantage over solid-state batteries, like lithium-ion, where scaling up often requires more complex and expensive modifications.

Are flow batteries more scalable than lithium-ion batteries?

Scalability: Flow batteries are more easily scalable than lithium-ion batteries. The energy storage capacity of a flow battery can be increased simply by adding larger tanks to store more electrolyte, while scaling lithium-ion batteries requires more complex and expensive infrastructure.