Duke Energy to test new Honeywell flow battery technology based on non-flammable electrolytes

A new flow battery technology entered renewable offerings this week, care of Honeywell, providing potential for a non-flammable means of converting chemical energy to electricity for storage and later use.

The system, which officials are touting as a safer, more durable solution for large-scale energy storage, will be field-tested at Duke Energy’s Mount Holly, North Carolina facility. There, Honeywell and Duke will test the battery for its deployment capabilities at scale, utilizing wind and solar to reduce carbon emissions and lower overall costs.

“With this flow battery, Honeywell has developed an innovative energy storage technology to answer upcoming energy storage needs beyond the current technologies available on the market,” Ben Owens, vice president and general manager of Honeywell Sustainable Technology Solutions, said. “As utilities and corporations seek cost-effective alternatives to coal-fired plants with long-duration energy storage solutions, they are switching to renewable energy targets that work around the clock to reduce carbon emissions. By partnering with Duke, we can implement this innovative energy storage technology at scale and bring to market a revolutionary flow battery to meet growing energy storage demands while assisting companies in meeting their carbon neutral goals.”

The system utilizes a non-flammable electrolyte to convert chemical energy into electricity. This energy can then be used when wind and solar power are unavailable, be it due to power outages or grids hitting capacity. It can provide and discharge electricity for up to 12 hours — three times longer than lithium-ion batteries. Honeywell also described the system’s components as recyclable, without the worry of degradation. In theory, the system could last up to 20 years.

At Duke’s Mount Holly facility, Honeywell will deliver a 400 kW hour unit to reduce the use of Duke’s fossil fuel power plants and push it further toward solar and wind. That unit should enter testing next year, but heftier versions are already in development. Honeywell hopes to deploy a 60 MW hour utility-scale pilot project in 2023.

“Duke Energy has followed flow battery technology for a number of years and is interested in the advancements Honeywell is pursuing,” Tom Fenimore, director of Duke Energy’s Smart Grid Emerging Technology and Operations, said. “Our Emerging Technology and Innovation Center is an ideal proving ground to study this technology.”

For Duke, one of America’s largest energy holding companies, the addition represents an ongoing shift toward clean energy. It intends to cut its carbon emissions 50 percent as of 2030 compared to 2005 levels and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Energy storage could play a major role in this, as Duke has pointed to industry data indicating that as much as 115 GW of energy storage could be needed by 2030 to support wind and solar capacity nationwide.