Flow batteries are the future of renewable energy and Australia could be a world leader – if there’s funding | Maria Skyllas-Kazacos

Within a decade, Australia could become a globally competitive battery maker – just as demand for energy storage grows

As more and more solar and wind energy enters Australia’s grid, we will need ways to store it for later. We can store electricity in several different ways, from pumped hydroelectric systems to large lithium-ion battery systems. We can also use flow batteries. These are a lesser-known cross between a conventional battery and a fuel cell.

Flow batteries can feed energy back to the grid for up to 12 hours – much longer than lithium-ion batteries, which only last four to six hours.

Continue reading…