Long Duration Energy Storage with Redox Flow Batteries: Grid, Microgrid, Markets, Technology 2025-2045

Summary

Redox Flow Batteries RFB increasingly supply Long Duration Energy Storage LDES for grids and microgrids. From 2025-2045, that may total over $170 billion dollars of business cumulatively but fragmenting to serve increasingly varied needs and locations worldwide. It is time for an independent report on that large business opportunity, so we now have the Zhar Research 252-page report, "Long Duration Energy Storage with Redox Flow Batteries: Grid, microgrid, markets, technologies 2025-2045" . This is your detailed guidebook, whether you offer added value materials or complete devices.

Advances in 2025 are very important

Importantly, this new report includes PhD level analysis of the remarkable research and company advances in 2025. See 23 forecast lines 2025-2045, new roadmaps 2025-2045, SWOT reports, comparison tables, infograms and 45 manufacturer profiles with appraisals. Learn how the number of RFB manufacturers will grow up-to and after a future shakeout. Which formats, chemistries, materials and membranes win? What are your potential acquisitions, partners, competitors? What optimum strategies assist you to attain up to $5 billion in yearly RFB LDES sales?

Chapters and their findings

The "Executive summary and conclusions" (50 pages) is sufficient if your time is limited, for here are the basics, eight key conclusions on markets and companies and 19 on technologies. 45 RFB companies are compared in eight columns for each. Many pie charts, three SWOT appraisals and those 23 forecast lines and graphs with explanations make sense of it all. For example, RFB sales were around $1 billion in 2024, mainly for short duration, but sales could be around $22 billion in 2045, mostly as LDES, due to the needs and RFB technologies changing as explained here. RFB LDES value sales for microgrids could dominate by then, because these different requirements are an even better match for emerging RFB capabilities.

Chapter 2. "LDES needs, design principles, situation through 2025" takes 30 pages giving a balanced, independent view embracing the microgrid opportunity as well. You do not suffer figures from manufacturers and trade associations exaggerating the opportunity and concentrating only on grid applications. See why RFB has less competition for microgrid LDES and RFB may even lead that storage market. See escape routes from LDES such as grids widening over time and weather zones and new green generation modes each giving less intermittency. That reduces the need for grid LDES though it will still be substantial.

Chapter 3. "Redox flow batteries RFB pivoting to LDES: needs, costs, chemistries and membranes" (20 pages) gives the big picture on the costs, formats, liquid chemistries and membrane science involved. 2025 advances and potential for improvement are prioritised. The different grid and microgrid solutions are examined.

Chapter 4. "RFB technologies and trends" (37 pages) examines those all-important electrolytes and their matched formats in detail. It compares and interprets the flood of advances, particularly in 2025. The general picture is of most effort, and progress, being with vanadium, iron and zinc-based anolytes and catholytes, variants including combinations with several other metals but there is more. Eliminating flammability is now a given with the aqueous electrolytes and some organic ones. Progress is patchy in eliminating toxigens and toxigen intermediaries and zinc chemistries have considerable research but struggle with commercialisation. Such problems may be your opportunities.

The report closes with the longest chapter. Chapter 5. "RFB manufacturer profiles and analysis" (106 pages) appraises manufacturers and putative manufacturers of RFB including their profiles, technology focus and readiness, strategies, successes and failures. Conclusions are presented in tables, pie charts and forecasts.

Expert opinion

Primary author Dr Peter Harrop, CEO of Zhar Research, says, "As LDES becomes a very large market, pumped hydro and its variants and compressed air underground may serve most grid needs but special situations will favour RFB creating a lesser - but still large - grid opportunity. Green generation off-grid and capable-of-being-off-grid is an even bigger opportunity for RFB because it reads more strongly onto its strengths such as no major earthworks, small footprint when stacked and fast permitting and installation, even safely in cities. Overall, RFB can follow the demand as it moves to longer time of storage and longer duration of subsequent power delivery. It will provide ever larger capacity still with minimal fade and self-leakage, even offering repair and upgrading after deployment. Most alternatives cannot keep up with this, so we strongly urge you to assess these opportunities for both your added-value materials and your capability with structures and product integration".

CAPTION: Current installations and potential of LDES technologies showing strong position of RFB. Source, Zhar Research report, "Long Duration Energy Storage with Redox Flow Batteries: Grid, microgrid, markets, technologies 2025-2045".