Flow Battery Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Rising...

Flow Battery Is Estimated To Witness High Growth Owing To Rising Adoption In Utility Industry

Posted 2024-02-02 08:36:55

Flow batteries use redox flowing electrolytes to facilitate the electrochemical reaction for energy storage, making them suitable for utility-scale energy storage. Flow batteries can store more energy than lithium-ion batteries and have the advantage of being recharged through re-plumbing the electrolyte solution. Several demonstration and pilot projects of flow batteries have been installed across the world for applications like peak shaving and renewable energy time shifting.

The global Flow Battery Market is estimated to be valued at Us$ 957.44 Mn in 2023 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR Of 8.0% over the forecast period 2024 To 2031, as highlighted in a new report published by Coherent Market Insights.

Market Dynamics:

One of the key drivers for the growth of flow battery market is the rising adoption in utility industry. Flow batteries offer advantages for scaling and long-duration energy storage needs of utility providers. The flexible design allows flow batteries to be scaled up or down based on power and energy requirements. Several utility providers across the world are investing in flow battery installations for services like peak shaving, ramp rate control and renewable energy time shifting. This helps in improving grid stability and facilitating higher renewable energy integration. Moreover, the long service life of around 15-20 years helps reduce the levelized cost of energy storage over time as compared to lithium-ion batteries. The cost per unit of energy stored in flow batteries is expected to decline faster than lithium-ion batteries with technological improvements and scale of production. This will fuel their adoption in the utility industry for multiple applications in the coming years.

SWOT Analysis

Strength: Flow batteries have three key strengths. First, they have very long lifetimes, with many thousands of charge/discharge cycles. Second, the electrolytes used are low cost and abundantly available. Third, flow batteries allow forcapacity to be decoupled from power, enabling independent scaling of energy and power.

Weakness: Flow batteries have two main weaknesses. First, their energy densities are relatively low compared to lithium-ion batteries. Second, flow batteries require separate tanks to hold the electrolytes which increases their physical footprint.

Opportunity: Flow batteries present two main market opportunities. First, widespread adoption of renewable energy will increase demand for cost-effective energy storage at utility scale. Flow batteries are well-suited for multi-MW, multi-MWh stationary storage applications to support the grid. Second, off-grid and microgrid applications in developing markets without established grid infrastructure could adopt pre-packaged, standardized flow battery solutions.

Threats: The main threats to flow batteries are substitution by competing technologies and commodity price fluctuations. Alternative storage technologies like lithium-ion batteries have higher energy densities and may eventually dominate mobile applications. Additionally, commodity price swings for vanadium and other electrolyte raw materials could increase costs.

Key Takeaways

The Global Flow Battery Market Demand is expected to witness high growth over the forecast period driven by increasing demand for renewable energy storage solutions. Flow batteries provide a cost-effective solution for utility-scale stationary storage to support intermittent renewable sources like solar and wind power. Vanadium redox batteries dominate the market currently due to their long lifespan and the availability and low cost of vanadium.

Flow batteries are best suited to regions with high adoption of renewable energy where demand for grid-scale storage is growing. Currently, North America and Europe are major markets due to supportive policies promoting renewable power in countries like the US, Germany, and the UK. However, Asia Pacific is expected to emerge as the fastest growing regional market for flow batteries over the next decade as China and India rapidly increase investments in solar and wind energy generation.

Key players operating in the flow battery market are AssurX, Sparta Systems, Oracle Corporation, Xybion Corporation, Sarjen Systems Pvt. Ltd., MDI Consultants, AB-Cube, QVigilance, Qserve, and ZEINCRO. Leaders like AssurX and Sumitomo Electric are focusing on R&D to improve energy densities and reduce costs to broaden commercial applications of flow battery technology beyond stationary storage. Partnerships for grid-scale projects will be key for established players to capitalize on the expanding flow battery market.