2014 GCEP Technical Talks: Energy Conversion Materials and Devices | Grid Energy Storage

TL;DR

Solid Oxide Flow Batteries hold promise for grid energy storage, offering high round-trip efficiency and scalability, with potential for low-cost storage solutions.

Transcript

okay so thank you for that introduction it's a real pleasure to be here and be able to give you an update on our GCF project on solid oxide flow batteries for grid energy storage a couple years back we gave a talk as well on the cell material advancements we've been working on today's talk were to focus more on the system concepts that will hopeful... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Solid Oxide Flow Batteries offer a promising solution to address the variability of renewable energy resources and improve grid energy storage.
• ✋ The technology enables reversible operation and decouples power capacity from storage, providing scalability and high round-trip efficiency.
• 😘 Solid Oxide Flow Batteries can be suitable for large-scale bulk storage, utilizing pressurized underground gaseous storage and offering low-cost working fluids.
• 🎨 The design and operation of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries require careful management of reactant composition and thermal considerations.
• 🇨🇷 The economic projections for Solid Oxide Flow Batteries show potential for low-cost storage solutions, meeting or exceeding DOE targets for cost-effective electricity storage.
• 🫢 The technology can also support power-to-gas platforms and enable the integration of renewable green electricity.
• 🍉 Further advancements in material development, long-term stability testing, and system integration are necessary to fully realize the potential of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the Solid Oxide Flow Battery technology enable reversible operation?

The technology operates in a power producing mode and in electrolysis mode, allowing for the reversible flow of current. The reactants are tanked and captured in gaseous storage, providing the advantage of decoupling power capacity from storage.

Q: What are the advantages of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries over other energy storage technologies?

Solid Oxide Flow Batteries offer high round-trip efficiency and the ability to produce high energy dense fuels. They also have the potential for low-cost working fluids and show promise for large-scale bulk storage.

Q: What are the key considerations in the design and operation of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries?

The design and operation of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries require careful management of reactant composition to avoid carbon deposition. It also involves thermal management strategies to optimize performance and match heat sources with endothermic or exothermic processes.

Q: What are the economic projections for Solid Oxide Flow Batteries in terms of cost and storage duration?

The cost of Solid Oxide Flow Batteries can reach around 3 to 4 cents per kilowatt hour with storage durations of months. The technology can potentially meet or exceed DOE targets for cost-effective electricity storage.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Solid Oxide Flow Batteries leverage fuel cell technology to enable reversible operation, decoupling power capacity from storage and offering high round-trip efficiency.

• The variability of renewable energy resources motivates the development of grid energy storage solutions, with the ability to address power fluctuations and improve capacity factors.

• The technology shows potential for large-scale bulk storage, utilizing pressurized underground gaseous storage and offering low-cost working fluids compared to other flow battery technologies.