DOE Flow Battery Systems Manufacturing
DE-FOA-0002453
EERE url  https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdfe9c1382-3bf1-48c4-bfdb-8fabd798d342
Required Concept papers   4/29/2021

This FOA addresses barriers to scaling up manufacturing of flow battery systems, which will reduce costs and increase the ability to serve grid- or facility-supporting energy storage markets. Proposed projects need to address system integration in a way that enables individual manufacturers to focus on specific flow battery components that assemble into a complete system. Applications need to propose collaborative, multi-stage plans that focus on work to develop or improve manufacturing processes for individual flow battery components, followed by collaborative work to integrate those new or improved components into stacks, tanks, and auxiliary parts at the cell-level which finally integrate into a prototype system with a mid-sized (10kWh – 100kWh) capacity. Projects are expected to develop easily scalable manufacturing processes for the key sub-system components and for faster and more seamless system integration. One major challenge limiting the deployment of flow battery technology is a lack of knowledge about component performance, specifically the effects of changes in component parameters on overall system performance and related costs for various battery systems and components. Manufacturers aiming to design and produce a flow battery system for a particular application cannot gain reliable estimates to gauge whether a certain chemistry, architecture, or scale will fit their needs or achieve a sufficient return on investment (ROI).