Integrating larger amounts of renewable energy in the energy mix in a cost-efficient manner is not only of great societal and environmental importance but is also required to fulfill national and international targets. Inflexibility of the existing electric grids is anticipated to impede massive penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, and results in an increasing need for cost-efficient energy storage solutions.
The ORBATS project addresses this need by developing a low CAPEX and low OPEX redox flow battery energy storage solution based on safe, earth-abundant, stable and inexpensive organic materials, for the critical time scale of 1-12 hours, needed for load shifting and stable day-to-day operation in applications such as residential, off-grid, and grid-scale storage of intermittent renewable energy, with a cost target of < $100/kWh, including materials, stack and balance-of-plant. The target energy density is 25 Wh/L, comparable to that of a vanadium redox flow battery. The project aims to build a prototype flow battery with a power rating in the range 5-25 kW. Furthermore, ORBATS will develop a flow battery monitoring device that will help maximize battery durability and efficiency, and adapt an existing Vestas wind-turbine for cost-efficient integration of energy storage.
The project leverages the know-how of leading academic groups in Denmark (Aarhus University and Technical University of Denmark) and the US (Harvard) in the areas of: flow batteries, membranes, organic synthesis, modern computational science utilizing techniques such as DFT and machine learning methods, and advanced electrochemical characterization/diagnostics, with industrial partners with expertise in flow battery development (VisBlue), wind power (Vestas), and battery management systems (Lithium Balance).