I-Corps: High-Stability Bio-Inspired Redox Flow Batteries for Grid-Scale Energy Storage

University Of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell MA

Investigators

Abstract

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project involves enabling widespread implementation of renewable but intermittent energy sources, such as wind and solar. Electrical grids currently require demand and supply of electricity to be exactly balanced in real time to avoid power disruption and blackouts. This is a challenging task, and growing efforts to integrate intermittent renewable energy sources create additional problems for grid resilience and energy security. Large-scale energy storage integrated into an electrical grid enables utility companies to effectively manage unwanted fluctuations and provides the flexibility required for widespread implementation of renewable sources. Furthermore, these systems have additional benefits in their utilization for peak shaving and load leveling applications. The energy stored when demand is low can be used to compensate excessive load during peaks. This practice has economic benefit for electricity consumers and providers. This I-Corps project explores commercial application opportunities for high-stability, bio-inspired non-aqueous redox flow battery (NRFB) systems with high cell-voltage, high current density and low capacity-fade for the grid-scale energy storage market. State-of-the-art NRFB systems are limited by decomposition of active materials and the related significant capacity-fade after minimal cycling. The flow battery electrolytes we plan to commercialize solve the problem of active material instability that has prevented commercialization of NFRBs by utilizing metal chelators, the biosynthesis of which evolved naturally by mushrooms in the Amanita genus. These molecules have been optimized for stability by millions of generations of natural selection and exhibit very strong metal-binding that shuts down decomposition pathways. Preliminary results have shown that the introduced bio-inspired approach has the potential to address the critical problems, such as low cyclability and poor performance in commercialization of NRFB systems. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.