Can hydrocarbon membranes be used in terawatt-scale flow batteries?

Future terawatt-scale deployment of flow batteries will require substantial capital cost reduction, particularly low-cost electrolytes and hydrocarbon ion exchange membranes. However, integration of hydrocarbon membranes with novel flow battery chemistries in commercial-scale stacks is yet to be demonstrated.

What is the difference between lithium ion battery prices and nickel prices?

Data until March 2023. Lithium-ion battery prices (including the pack and cell) represent the global volume-weighted average across all sectors. Nickel prices are based on the London Metal Exchange, used here as a proxy for global pricing, although most nickel trade takes place through direct contracts between producers and consumers.

Can a hydrocarbon ion exchange membrane upscale a next-generation alkaline-based flow battery?

In summary, we have demonstrated the upscaling of next-generation alkaline-based flow batteries using a low-cost hydrocarbon ion exchange membrane with excellent alkaline stability and achieved superior performance from lab-scale to kW-scale stacks.

How does vertical integration affect battery production costs?

Although production costs for raw materials have also increased, e.g. due to rising energy costs, they are still likely to be well below market prices for the vast majority of mining projects. This type of vertical integration, driven by OEMs, can therefore lead to lower manufacturing costs for batteries in the long term.

Which battery raw materials have experienced significant price fluctuations over the past 5 years?

Battery raw materials like lithium carbonate (Li 2 CO 3), lithium hydroxide (LiOH), nickel (Ni) and cobalt (Co) have experienced significant price fluctuations over the past five years. Figures 1 and 2 show the development of material spot prices between 2018 and 2023.

How efficient is the Speek membrane?

To further demonstrate the performance of the SPEEK membrane, we scaled up the flow battery cell stacks ranging from 300 to 4,000 W with membrane areas scaled up from 4,375 cm 2 to 3 m 2, and the energy efficiency of the stack remained nearly unchanged (Figure 5 B).