Flow batteries (Vanadium etc)

**chrisski** · 04-01-2024, 06:28 AM

Originally posted by nomadros

Hi.. Was poking around the internet this morning and came across some news items regarding flow batteries. I just wondered if anyone on here has any experience of them and would care to share.

Can't really find much more info online apart from scientific papers or marketing dross.

Here's a link for a residential battery (mods feel free to remove if necessary)

30 kWh VFB Battery | Vanadium Flow Batteries | StorEn

https://www.storen.tech/30-kwh-vfb-battery

Learn more about our 5kW/30kWh vanadium flow battery. Compact design for residential energy storage as well as industrial and commercial applications.

I've no more info than the above so I've asked them for a price.

It all seems too good to be true, so I thought I'd ask you guys.

I don’t have experience with them.

When reviewing the spec sheet, I did not see a UL rating. 30 kWh may be too big for a home installation. The spec sheet mentions off grid and micro grid.

For a permitted UL home installation, each battery is limited to 20 kWh with a max of 80 kWh total of batteries in an area like a garage, and a smaller room would be 4 kWh.

Here is requirements for UL9450 Energy Storage Systems:

“For UL 9540, your device shouldn’t exceed the maximum energy capacity:

For outdoor wall mounted electrochemical ESS, not over 20kWh (72 MJ)
For residential use, electrochemical ESS, not over 20kWh (72 MJ)
For non-residential use, electrochemical ESS, not over 50kWh (180 MJ) ”

That is for a single battery. For total batteries:

Utility closets, storage or utility spaces	40 kWh
Garages and detached structures	80 kWh
Exterior walls	80kWh
Outdoor installations	80kWh

UL9450A is a test to evaluate these for thermal runaway.

Flow batteries (Vanadium etc)

Flow batteries (Vanadium etc)

Comment