By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : February 16, 2022 12:21 pm
The new flow battery uses a safe, non-flammable electrolyte that converts chemical energy to electricity to store energy for later use
Honeywell has announced a new flow battery technology that works with renewable generation sources such as wind and solar to meet the demands for sustainable energy storage.
The new flow battery uses a safe, non-flammable electrolyte that converts chemical energy to electricity to store energy for later use while meeting the environmental, longevity and safety objectives of utilities.
The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) India Energy Outlook 2021 projects that India could have 140-200 GW of battery storage capacity by 2040 — potentially a third of total battery storage capacity in the world by then.
Honeywell’s new technology delivers greater flexibility and extended duration for utilities. It can store and discharge electricity for up to 12 hours, exceeding the duration of lithium-ion batteries, which can only discharge up to 4 hours. The battery is designed with recyclable components and does not degrade over time. It maintains system performance, providing a reliable and cost-efficient system for 20 years.
The flow battery technology will be tested by Duke Energy at its Emerging Technology and Innovation Center in Mount Holly, N.C. Honeywell will deliver a 400-kilowatt-hour (kWh) unit to Duke Energy’s facility in Mount Holly in 2022. These renewable generation sources are increasingly cost competitive versus traditional fossil fuels and represent over 70% of new power generation. Honeywell aims to deploy a utility-scale pilot project of 60-megawatt-hours starting in 2023.
“With this flow battery, Honeywell has developed an innovative energy storage technology to answer upcoming energy storage needs beyond the current technologies available on the market,” said Ben Owens, Vice President and General Manager, Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions.
“Duke Energy has followed flow battery technology for a number of years and is interested in the advancements Honeywell is pursuing,” said Tom Fenimore, Director, Smart Grid Emerging Technology and Operations.
Industry data states that the long duration energy storage market will grow to $13.7B by 2030 and require 115 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage to support the implementation of wind and solar capacity.