Flow Batteries - Storing Energy on the Grid

The demand for electricity produced from renewable sources, such as wind and solar has considerably increased in the past decade, largely owing to the need for clean energy with no environmental impact and carbon sequestration. The energy generated from intermittent sources: wind and solar is dependent upon various climatic and geographical conditions, serves as the driving force for storing energy on grid in suitable energy packing systems to be utilized at peak hours. Consequently, the capacity to store vast amounts of energy is rising. Flow batteries have gained significant importance during the recent years owing to the performance and ability to store vast amounts of energy. This paper reviews popular types of flow batteries, current trends, and future measures to optimize the performance for long-term durability of these flow based energy storage devices.