A completely different type of battery is called a flow battery, where big tanks like these discharge liquid to cause an electrochemical reaction.
VRB Power Systems has developed a vanadium-based flow battery that can store several hours of electricity. One of its installations, pictured here, is to back up wind turbines for four hours at peak times in King Island, Australia.
The system uses tanks filled with liquid electrolytes that flow over a bank of fuel cells to generate electricity. The design lasts longer than traditional lead-acid batteries, the company says.
Photo by VRB Power Systems
Caption by
Martin LaMonica
