The renewable energy transition needs powerful, scalable and affordable energy storage systems that do not harm people and nature. However, current options have been plagued with high cost, safety issues, environmental and social concerns. They are based on scarce resources that are extracted under ethically and ecologically questionable conditions with high energy consumption and transported around the world via long supply chains. Due to the rapidly increasing demand for batteries in the field of electromobility, there are going to be dramatic bottlenecks in the availability of these materials. For numerous applications, the flammability of existing battery systems is another major problem.CMBlu’s Organic SolidFlow battery is different – and it is a first of its kind to be commercialized. Our technology is based on fully recyclable organic materials that are available all over the world. The aqueous electrolytes solutions are non-flammable and ensure an absolutely safe and reliable operation. Compared to previously established battery systems, our Organic SolidFlow batteries are characterized by free scalability between power and capacity. They can therefore be adapted precisely to the individual requirements of the respective application with corresponding cost advantages. The system-inherent separation of the electrolyte and the actual energy converter not only avoids self-discharge, but also enables the original performance to be restored by simply replacing individual components instead of the entire battery.
A clean and renewable energy future demands radical new concepts for energy storage. This truly green Organic SolidFlow battery disrupts the energy storage market to accelerate the transition and to meet climate goals sooner.
Their unique chemistry and design make our Organic SolidFlow batteries ideally positioned to support the global energy transition. Here’s why they are a sound solution for business, society and the planet.
Separate tanks and stacks make it possible to scale power and capacity independently, for highly customizable bulk storage units.
Our technology relies on abundant, low-cost carbon-based molecules, promoting a robust, and environmentally and socially responsible supply chain.
All of our battery components are free of critical, flammable or explosive materials and thus safe to be sited where they are needed.
Carbon-based electrolytes have been engineered for a long lifetime and can be maintained to ensure a very high cycle life of the battery and to meet the expectations of demanding applications.
Organic electrolytes can be fully recycled and reused to avoid millions of tons of waste that are present in lithium-ion based system.
Redox flow batteries are batteries that store electrical energy in liquid electrolytes, unlike the solid electrodes of lithium-ion batteries. Those electrolytes are stored in external tanks. During charging and discharging, they are pumped through the battery power stacks in a constant “flow”.
Former redox flow batteries use metals. Our Organic SolidFlow batteries take a novel approach: Instead of metal ions, an Organic SolidFlow battery uses carbon-based molecules for its electrolytes. Why carbon? It’s simple. Certain carbon-based molecules have the intrinsic ability to be oxidized and reduced, or charged and discharged. They are the essential element in “redox” reactions that have been powering all living cells, for billions of years. Nature had a choice to use metal or organic molecules to store and release energy. It chose organic. So are we.
Using organic electrolytes makes our redox flow batteries into a more efficient, long-lasting and sustainable electricity storage technology. Besides innovative electrolytes, our Organic SolidFlow batteries also feature a uniquely scalable design. The result: a high-performance Organic SolidFlow battery that’s built for bulk storage applications.
Our Organic SolidFlow batteries are a combination of flow and solid state technology.
Our Organic SolidFlow battery stacks consist of serially connected half cells with the following components.
The end plates provide mechanical structure and electrical isolation between two individual stacks to create a double stack. They are made of recyclable plastic.
The electrodes provide the bridge between electrical and chemical battery components. The materials, surface structure, and redox reaction kinetics drive performance.
The membranes are electrically insulating and allow for selective ion migration during charging and discharging. They prevent electrolytes from mixing.
The current collectors enable the electric charge to flow in and out of the stacks. They are the only stack component made of metal.
Energy converter stacks are at the heart of our modular redox flow battery technology. Both reduction and oxidation, the core electrochemical processes, take place in these stacks, although physically separate from each other. The battery output depends on the material and surface area of the electrodes, as well as the kinetics of the redox process. Increasing the stack size yields a higher output.
Compared to lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen batteries, our Organic SolidFlow batteries are the ideal solution for large-scale, multi-hour energy storage. They offer superior efficiency and safety and low maintenance.
CMBlu Organic SolidFlow batteries
Lithium-ion
Hydrogen
Applications
Large stationary electricity storage
Mobile applications, electric vehicles, small and mid-size electricity storage
Long-term to seasonal energy storage
Cycle life
Potentially unlimited with proper maintenance
~ 3,000 charging cycles
Not applicable
Efficiency
up to 90%
up to 95%
~ 40%
Battery capacity
Up to the GWh range
Multi MWh range
Seasonal storage up to the TWh range
Safety
High. Neither flammable nor explosive materials
Limited. Substantial effort required to ensure safe operation.
Limited. Substantial effort required to ensure safe operation.
Absence of critical or rare materials
Organic SolidFlow batteries are easily adaptable to the requirements of different sectors.
Renewables like solar or wind parks generate power intermittently and need large-scale energy storage solutions.