IEC Accelerates Global Vanadium Flow Battery Electrolyte Standards and Specifications Process
Classification：Industrial News
- Author：ZH Energy
- Release time：Mar-14-2025
【 Summary 】ZH Energy's electrochemical reduction system integrates core stack & electrolysis control technologies, delivering efficient solutions for vanadium electrolyte production
According to foreign media reports, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is working with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute and multiple industry stakeholders to advance the Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) electrolyte standards and specifications project (referred to as: IEC project).
The International Vanadium Technology Committee (Vanitec) commented on the IEC project, stating that establishing global standards and specifications for VRFB electrolytes is "critical" to the technology's future. Vanitec pointed out that the current lack of uniform global standards for vanadium electrolytes is resulting in quality inconsistencies, low production efficiency, and potential performance issues. It also noted that while China leads the global VRFB market and has developed national vanadium electrolyte standards, its purity standards for vanadium pentoxide feedstock are broader than those proposed by the IEC project.
Vanadium, used as a raw material for electrolyte production, can be sourced through primary mineral mining or as a byproduct of steel production. The latter is part of why China dominates globally, while Brazil, South Africa, and Australia's Queensland (with one-third of the world's primary vanadium resources) focus on primary mineral development.
There are significant cost differences in the VRFB industry across different markets. BloombergNEF (BNEF) reported that in 2023, the average cost of a fully installed flow battery system in China was about $423 per kilowatt-hour, compared to $701 per kilowatt-hour in other global markets, highlighting the urgent need for standardization and scaling in the industry.
Flow battery industry participants and advocates believe that vanadium flow batteries, with their ultra-long cycle life (no capacity decay for over 25 years) and inherent safety, are emerging as a potential alternative to lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. Their design, which stores electrolyte in separate tanks and decouples power and capacity, means expansion only requires more electrolyte, not additional cell stacks or Balance of Plant (BOP) equipment like thermal management systems. This not only reduces marginal costs but also avoids the thermal runaway risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.
A BloombergNEF (BNEF) survey in May 2024 emphasized that flow batteries are more cost-competitive during longer discharge periods, especially when discharging at full rated power for about 12 hours. With advancing technology and cost reductions, vanadium batteries could play a significant role in the medium-and-long-duration energy storage market, promoting sustainable development in the global energy storage industry.
As the IEC leads the international standardization of VRFB electrolytes, it will accelerate technical upgrades in electrolyte production and application. By standardizing purity and processes, it will enhance quality consistency, drive technical innovation in electrolyte preparation, and strengthen supply chain resilience. Electrolyte preparation, a core part of the VRFB chain, directly impacts electrolyte performance and mass production capabilities through process stability and purity control. The electrolyte electrochemical reduction preparation system, designed by ZH Energy , integrates advanced stack and electrolyte control technologies. This significantly improves stack stability, ensures longevity, and reduces maintenance and replacement costs, offering a competitive technical solution for the vanadium electrolyte preparation industry.
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