You may have read about Redflow zinc bromide hybrid flow batteries on these pages previously.1 Robert Llewellyn recently interviewed Simon Hackett, Executive Chairman of Redflow, who provided some interesting insights:
● stores electricity by electroplating zinc from solution
● discharge returns zinc to solution
● complete discharge is a maintenance cycle, essentially restoring the battery to as-new state
● as a result, no loss of capacity with age● greater up-front cost as it is a recent development & small volume
● durability makes total cost of ownership (TCO) lower● TCO will improve with volume & further development
Interesting point raised in the interview – what would happen if you had solar panels on your roof & the power failed on a sunny day? Would the solar panels continue to run the house?
“One very common misunderstanding about solar panels, if you have a power failure & you just have solar [panels] it’s useless to you, even if the sun is shining. As soon as you add batteries … the battery system simulates the grid & your panels keep working.” – Simon Hackett, Executive chairman, Redflow
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1 HitchHiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Redflow claims to have a better solution for home electricity storage”,
https://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/12/redflow-claims-to-have-better-solution.html / Simon Hackett executive chairman Australian battery storage developer Redflow better solution home electricity storage energy storage Australian householders cut costs residence residential back-up power option Redflow emerging market recent blackout South Australia back-up power options home-owners home energy storage systems harvesting storing energy solar panels Redflow’s ZCell home battery storage system power outages without interruption research firm IHS Technology forecast Australian energy storage market Australia top five markets distributed energy storage US Japan Germany UK solar photovoltaic energy storage systems wider energy market evolving battery technology increasing role nature of electricity consumption is changing innovative energy storage solutions ZCell systems local market home battery storage system ZCell Redflow ZCell emerging home battery market battery technologies available Redflow ZCell’s flow technology Redflow’s ZCell ZCell storage system unique zinc-bromine flow battery Redflow ZBM2 capable delivering 10 kilowatt hours kWh stored energy daily Redflow battery technology ZCell home battery market lithium-ion battery Redflow ZCell overhead degradation problems impact performance lithium-based lead-acid batteries ZCell contains 100 litres water-based zinc bromide salt solution circulating two separate hydraulic circuits charging zinc extracted zinc bromide solution stored plastic membrane discharge zinc released solution energy stored moving zinc inside the battery long life 100 per cent depth-of-discharge completely reversible no damage battery zinc completely removed plastic membrane end of each discharge cycle Redflow benefits ZCell other battery chemistry 100 per cent cycle depth daily delivery 10 kWh energy 100 per cent depth of discharge no risk of battery damage retaining full output capacity battery’s useful life large loss of output capacity with age other battery types no fire risk bromide-based electrolyte natural fire retardant mechanical damage no risk explosion thermal runaway high-temperature operation without active cooling unlimited shelf life state of charge hibernated for storage easy to recycle reuse /
