Study shows: Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries beat lithium-ion regarding carbon footprint
A life-cycle assessment (LCA) study executed by the independent consulters Denkstatt, Vienna, for Enerox / CellCube, reveals that Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries excel with a highly favorable environmental footprint for large-scale energy storage solutions compared to lithium-ion battery technology.
Wiener Neudorf, Austria, Enerox / CellCube, January 12th, 2023 – Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are important puzzle pieces of the energy transition – the technology even accelerates the roll-out of Solar/PV and wind power deployments. Lithium-ion and Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFB) are the two key BESS technologies that dominate the battery energy storage market. For the new ESG reporting requirements it is relevant to understand the CO2 impact for planned investments in energy efficiency.
A new life-cycle assessment (LCA) study shows that there are significant differences regarding the carbon footprint over the lifecycle of the systems: Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries offer a highly favorable environmental footprint for large-scale energy storage solutions compared to the more wide-spread lithium-ion battery technology. Even with rather conservative estimates on the impact of vanadium production, CellCube’s VRFB comes with only 66% of the global warming potential of its lithium-ion competitors.
A sensitivity analysis has also illustrated where this advantage of VRFB technology mainly comes from: On the material sourcing and circular economy side, the reusability of the vanadium electrolyte and the ability to utilize material supply from waste are a big plus for the systems which have a minimal lifetime of 20-25 years.
Furthermore, the LCA shows that 85.5% of a CellCube FB 500-2000 battery – calculated on a weight basis – can be directly re-used at the end-of-life. And almost all of the remaining materials are recyclable.
“If we talk about carbon footprint it is important to have a look at the whole life-cycle and also include the manufacturing of energy storage systems”, highlights Alexander Schoenfeldt, CEO of Enerox GmbH (CellCube). “Our VRFB-approach is a great example of how a circular economy solution should look like.”
The findings of the new analysis that is based on the latest battery types are in-line with previous studies that show similar results.
For further details on the new and previous studies download the full LCA white paper free of charge here: Whitepaper
About CellCube – Enerox GmbH
Under its trademark ‘CellCube’ Enerox GmbH develops, manufactures and deploys Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries internationally. VRFB’s are sustainable, long-duration energy storage systems, securing and accelerating the energy transition towards a future of net-zero renewable power generation. Enerox is a developing pioneer and the global technology and industry leader in its field of operation. The bankable VRFB systems suite various microgrid applications alongside four focused business segments: resilient microgrids for industrial and commercial customers, energy storage for remote microgrids and island solutions as well as long-duration back-up systems for green and critical infrastructure facilities. More than 140 CellCube systems have been deployed across 20 countries and all climate zones on the planet. Enerox is headquartered in Vienna, Austria with an office in Denver, Colorado for its North American operation. www.cellcube.com
Contact:
Alexander Schoenfeldt, CEO Enerox GmbH, CEO CellCube Inc.
Alexander.Schoenfeldt@cellcube.com
Yvonne Steinhaeusser, Head of Corporate & Marketing Communications
Yvonne.Steinhaeusser@cellcube.com
+43 676 843 669 126