Energy storage is the key to unlocking Earth’s vast wind and solar energy resources, but limitations associated with lithium-ion batteries, the technology of choice to date, are driving demand for alternatives. Li-ion technology is facing new challenges in its supply chain in addition to well-known operational constraints, safety risks and environmental impacts. While Li-ion batteries can be a good option for relatively short-duration storage applications, innovative new offerings, such as the utility-scale iron flow batteries produced by the energy storage firm ESS, provide more environmentally sustainable solutions that are able to store and deploy clean energy over longer durations built on a streamlined, plug-and-play platform.
Long-duration energy storage and the flow battery advantage
Li-ion batteries are long-lasting when used in small devices, but large-scale Li-ion…