Are Iron Flow Batteries the next evolution in energy storage?

It was announced this week that Honeywell has invested in ESS, an Iron Flow Battery company. Honeywell is seeking to accelerate the development and adoption of this technology, which eschews the use of rare earth minerals like cobalt and has major benefits from a longevity point of view.

Iron Flow Batteries have been in development for many years, but now appear ready to scale for commercial use. They work by separating electrons from an iron solution through a membrane. They can be run for many hours longer than Lithium Ion batteries, and because they do not power cycle via phased chemical reactions, they boast a 30 year lifespan. A typical Li-Ion battery will only last up to eight years in comparison.

This technology needs to prove itself on a bigger stage, but Honeywell is betting that Iron Flow Batteries are up to the challenge.