The Wuhan project of advanced liquid flow batteries for neutralization and energy storage has been successfully connected to the grid for operation
Classification：Company News
- Author：ZH Energy
- Release time：Jul-17-2023
【 Summary 】The Wuhan project of advanced liquid flow batteries for neutral energy storage has been successfully connected to the grid for nearly two years. Driven by carbon neutrality and energy security, the en
In the past two years, driven by carbon neutrality and energy security, the energy storage market has experienced explosive growth, with various energy storage technologies continuously iterating and developing in competition. Among all new energy storage technologies, flow batteries have great potential for development in the field of large-scale long-term energy storage due to their high safety and long working life. However, the biggest challenge faced by the most mature liquid flow battery technology - vanadium batteries - is the high initial installation cost. Based on the EPC bidding prices announced in the past two years, the EPC price of all vanadium liquid flow battery energy storage stations is basically about twice that of lithium battery energy storage stations. Even if the design lifespan of all vanadium flow batteries is as long as 20 years, usually more than twice that of lithium batteries, the high initial installation cost remains the biggest obstacle to the large-scale implementation of flow batteries.
The mission of ZH Energy Storage is to provide the market with low-cost and safer long-term energy storage products for liquid flow batteries, which will be achieved through continuous innovation of core materials for liquid flow batteries. At the beginning of 2023, under the leadership of Dr. Xie Wei, co-founder of the company, and through the joint efforts of all members, the first advanced liquid flow battery energy storage system for energy storage was successfully delivered and operated in Wuhan. The overall project is an integrated project of optical storage, charging, and microgrid, located in a large industrial park in Wuhan. After the energy storage unit is connected to the grid for operation, the charging and discharging strategy under the time of use electricity price has saved customers high peak hour electricity bills for several months. In the future, the park will comprehensively integrate functions such as photovoltaic power generation, peak valley arbitrage, and charging piles to create higher value for owners.
Dr. Xie Wei obtained a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Materials Science from Tsinghua University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin, USA. He led the development of separators and stacks at the largest liquid flow battery company in the United States, in collaboration with DuPont and 3M to improve perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin ion exchange membranes. He also established Vionx Energy liquid flow battery production company through technical authorization, which has now been acquired by Largo Resource to become Largo Energy liquid flow battery company. During his 17 years of research and development work on flow batteries, Dr. Xie Wei has led multiple US Department of Energy projects, among which the high-power density all vanadium flow battery project won the 2013 US Annual 100 Best R&D Award.
Based on a deep understanding of the cost logic of energy storage products, ZH Energy Storage has independently developed the energy storage cost calculator: NeLCOS ®， This includes the cost of leveling the entire lifespan of electricity, the return on investment of energy storage products, and the functionality of energy storage solution simulators. This calculator can be used for free by scanning the following QR code. With the help of these analysis tools, Dr. Xie Wei has planned and designed a product route for neutralizing energy storage. By improving system efficiency and reducing material costs through efficiency enhancement and cost reduction strategies, he continuously reduces the initial installation cost and lifetime electricity cost of the liquid flow battery system, striving to achieve a positive confrontation with the price of lithium battery energy storage systems as soon as possible.
In terms of core material products for flow batteries, Professor Liu Suqin from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Central South University, a renowned expert in the field of flow batteries, has jointly developed a new ion exchange membrane suitable for vanadium batteries. The material cost has been reduced by 90% compared to mainstream products in the market, and continuous pilot production has been achieved.
At the same time, ZH Energy Storage has developed the next generation of graphite felt electrode materials by acquiring Professor Liu Suqin's invention patent. On the basis of cost reduction, its performance is superior to mainstream products in the current market. This product has achieved large-scale production and sample supply.
ZH Energy Storage was established in Shenzhen in 2021 and received exclusive seed rounds from Sequoia Capital in 2022, as well as angel rounds of financing led by Pros Yinshan Capital and co invested by Sequoia Capital. The company currently has a long-term energy storage research institute at its headquarters in Shenzhen, and has established a product pilot base and the first 100 megawatt level liquid flow battery production line in Changsha through cooperation with Central South University. ZH Energy Storage will be based on technological innovation, with a rigorous scientific spirit and an open attitude, and work together with industry colleagues to persistently create world-class leading long-term energy storage products.
大力鼓励储能发展！广东用户侧峰谷价差比值由4.47倍调整为6.6倍
In the past two years, driven by carbon neutrality and energy security, the energy storage market has experienced explosive growth, with various energy storage technologies continuously iterating and developing in competition. Among all new energy storage technologies, flow batteries have great potential for development in the field of large-scale long-term energy storage due to their high safety and long working life. However, the biggest challenge faced by the most mature liquid flow battery technology - vanadium batteries - is the high initial installation cost. Based on the EPC bidding prices announced in the past two years, the EPC price of all vanadium liquid flow battery energy storage stations is basically about twice that of lithium battery energy storage stations. Even if the design lifespan of all vanadium flow batteries is as long as 20 years, usually more than twice that of lithium batteries, the high initial installation cost remains the biggest obstacle to the large-scale implementation of flow batteries.
The mission of ZH Energy Storage is to provide the market with low-cost and safer long-term energy storage products for liquid flow batteries, which will be achieved through continuous innovation of core materials for liquid flow batteries. At the beginning of 2023, under the leadership of Dr. Xie Wei, co-founder of the company, and through the joint efforts of all members, the first advanced liquid flow battery energy storage system for energy storage was successfully delivered and operated in Wuhan. The overall project is an integrated project of optical storage, charging, and microgrid, located in a large industrial park in Wuhan. After the energy storage unit is connected to the grid for operation, the charging and discharging strategy under the time of use electricity price has saved customers high peak hour electricity bills for several months. In the future, the park will comprehensively integrate functions such as photovoltaic power generation, peak valley arbitrage, and charging piles to create higher value for owners.
Dr. Xie Wei obtained a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Materials Science from Tsinghua University, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin, USA. He led the development of separators and stacks at the largest liquid flow battery company in the United States, in collaboration with DuPont and 3M to improve perfluorinated sulfonic acid resin ion exchange membranes. He also established Vionx Energy liquid flow battery production company through technical authorization, which has now been acquired by Largo Resource to become Largo Energy liquid flow battery company. During his 17 years of research and development work on flow batteries, Dr. Xie Wei has led multiple US Department of Energy projects, among which the high-power density all vanadium flow battery project won the 2013 US Annual 100 Best R&D Award.
Based on a deep understanding of the cost logic of energy storage products, ZH Energy Storage has independently developed the energy storage cost calculator: NeLCOS ®， This includes the cost of leveling the entire lifespan of electricity, the return on investment of energy storage products, and the functionality of energy storage solution simulators. This calculator can be used for free by scanning the following QR code. With the help of these analysis tools, Dr. Xie Wei has planned and designed a product route for neutralizing energy storage. By improving system efficiency and reducing material costs through efficiency enhancement and cost reduction strategies, he continuously reduces the initial installation cost and lifetime electricity cost of the liquid flow battery system, striving to achieve a positive confrontation with the price of lithium battery energy storage systems as soon as possible.
In terms of core material products for flow batteries, Professor Liu Suqin from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Central South University, a renowned expert in the field of flow batteries, has jointly developed a new ion exchange membrane suitable for vanadium batteries. The material cost has been reduced by 90% compared to mainstream products in the market, and continuous pilot production has been achieved.
At the same time, ZH Energy Storage has developed the next generation of graphite felt electrode materials by acquiring Professor Liu Suqin's invention patent. On the basis of cost reduction, its performance is superior to mainstream products in the current market. This product has achieved large-scale production and sample supply.
ZH Energy Storage was established in Shenzhen in 2021 and received exclusive seed rounds from Sequoia Capital in 2022, as well as angel rounds of financing led by Pros Yinshan Capital and co invested by Sequoia Capital. The company currently has a long-term energy storage research institute at its headquarters in Shenzhen, and has established a product pilot base and the first 100 megawatt level liquid flow battery production line in Changsha through cooperation with Central South University. ZH Energy Storage will be based on technological innovation, with a rigorous scientific spirit and an open attitude, and work together with industry colleagues to persistently create world-class leading long-term energy storage products.
大力鼓励储能发展！广东用户侧峰谷价差比值由4.47倍调整为6.6倍