The ink has barely dried on Cummins’ new $24 million vanadium redox flow battery investment and it is already jumping to the head of the energy storage line. The company’s $24 million stake in the startup VoltStorage also comes with new iron redox flow technology, too.
What’s Wrong With Lithium-Ion Energy Storage?
Nothing is wrong with lithium-ion energy storage. The problem is that the global demand for energy storage has nowhere to go but up. While lithium is relatively abundant, lithium extraction is a messy affair. The environmental impacts are adding up. Local opposition to new mines and other facilities could stall additional development.
Here in the US, the Energy Department is supporting R&D that would pair lithium extraction with geothermal wells. The idea is to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum by packaging two operations in one. One such
New Long Duration Energy Storage Based On Iron, Salt
