Industry–university collab to lower battery storage costs

Sustainable energy storage company Redflow has announced a collaboration with The University of Queensland to extend the operation of flow batteries, thus lowering battery storage costs. The collaboration will take place within the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Safe and Reliable Energy Storage administered by Deakin University.

The research project, entitled ‘Extending Flow Battery Operation’, was identified to develop a deeper understanding of the electrolyte chemistry and electrode materials to further extend the operational characteristics of the Zinc Bromine Module (ZBM).

Redflow CTO Steven Hickey said: “The goal of our four-year project is extending flow battery operation and our first priority is to employ the University of Queensland’s extensive facilities to perform advanced electrolyte analysis.

“In order for us to advance our competitive position in the market, we see significant opportunity to lower our Levelised Cost of Storage (LCOS). Extending the operation of flow batteries is a key requirement for renewable energy strategy.”

Dr Bin Luo, project collaborator from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, said the zinc–bromine flow battery was highly promising technology at the forefront of renewable energy solutions.

“We are excited to partner with Redflow and combine our expertise and strengths to solve what is ultimately a practical industrial problem. Flow batteries have emerged as prime candidates in the development of large-scale grid-connected energy storage systems because they are more efficient, have a longer life cycle and offer a lower cost for applications that require high energy-to-power ratios. This project will enhance the market competitiveness of Redflow’s products and extend their application in both residential energy storage and industries that require long-duration energy output,” Luo said.

ARC Research Hub for Safe and Reliable Energy (SafeREnergy) was created with $5 million funding from the ARC and contributions from six Australian universities and 10 industry partners. Led by Alfred Deakin Professor Ian Chen, SafeREnergy aims to address safety and reliability issues, and the environmental impact of current energy storage and conversion technologies.

SafeREnergy brings together Australian universities and industry to deliver a new generation of technologies for storage from small-scale portable devices to large-scale industrial applications, using recycled and natural materials, and eliminating the serious fire risk in current technologies. Outcomes include innovative integrated energy conversion and storage technologies and new energy materials and devices designed for different scale applications, benefiting the Australian economy and potentially transforming the energy industry landscape.

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