At the Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology, Europe has unveiled its largest vanadium redox flow battery. Recently, this advanced technology hit a significant milestone: it successfully demonstrated that renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, can be efficiently incorporated into the power grid. This is particularly impressive since it can function effectively under varying weather conditions.

This substantial battery addresses a critical issue in transitioning to renewable energy. Often, when generation exceeds demand, excess energy goes unused or drives electricity prices down. Now, this surplus can be stored temporarily and accessed when needed, helping stabilize the power grid.

“Our storage solution shows that renewable energy can be effectively managed. This is a crucial advancement toward creating a more stable and resilient electricity system powered by renewables,” says Dr. Jens Noack, Team Manager for Flow Batteries at Fraunhofer ICT.

The vanadium redox flow battery was entirely developed and built from components sourced in Germany. It serves as a research hub for testing and enhancing new storage technologies and components in collaboration with industrial partners both locally and globally.