Made-In-The-US Flow Battery Technology Is Heading To India

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The Intertubes are practically on fire with the news that the California-based flow battery startup Quino Energy is bringing its Harvard-pedigree technology to the world. It’s yet another example of the continued influence of US innovators on the global decarbonization movement, regardless of this year’s abrupt shift in federal energy policy.

The Flow Battery Backstory

For those of you new to the topic, flow batteries offer a potentially higher-performing, lower-costing alternative to the familiar lithium-ion energy storage platform. Flow batteries deploy two separate tanks of specialized liquids that remain inert when not in use. The battery can jump into action even if left idle for long periods of time, simplifying the cost of battery management systems.

Flow batteries can also produce electricity for much longer periods of time than today’s Li-ion battery arrays.  A typical Li-ion battery system lasts 2-4 hours, though the newest iterations can add an hour or two. In contrast, Quino states that its system offers 8-24 hours of storage.

As the name suggests, a flow battery generates electricity when the two liquids are pumped from their tanks and made to flow adjacent to each other, separated by a thin membrane. Scaling up is a relatively simple matter of constructing larger tanks and pumping equipment (see more background here).

There being no such thing as a free lunch, the cost of the membrane is among the obstacles faced by flow battery innovators. The membrane can account for up to 40% of the cost of the entire system, according to one estimate. To cut costs, some researchers are pursuing new membrane formulas. Quino Energy has added its own twist to the effort. Instead of purpose-built tanks, the company can deploy repurposed oil storage tanks.

That’s not as easy as it sounds. The material of choice for oil storage is carbon steel, which is liable to corrode when exposed to conventional flow battery formulas based on vanadium (not vibranium!). That is not an obstacle for Quino. Its water-based formula deploys quinones, which are non-corrosive. Quinones are organic molecules widely found in nature and commercially available as a derivative of coal tar.

More Energy Storage For The USA

This year’s abrupt shift in federal energy policy could have spelled disaster for grant-dependent startups like Quino. However, energy storage systems are typically source-agnostic. Ideally, long duration systems can open the door for more wind and solar energy in the grid, but they can also find a welcome home in the booming data center industry. Regardless of the energy source, long duration systems can secure server farms against grid interruptions, or provide an extra layer of security for on-site power generation systems.

In addition, energy storage can provide data centers and other large-scale energy storage with a substantial bottom line benefit, enabling them to take full advantage of lower off-peak electricity rates.

With a technology license from Harvard University in its pocket, Quino made the cut for Energy Department funding back in 2021, receiving $4.58 million to keep the R&D phase moving forward. The company also made sufficient progress to earn an additional $2.6 million Energy Department grant in December of 2024. The new funds supported a lab-scale demonstration of the new flow battery formula in carbon steel tanks.

In April of this year, the California Energy Commission kept things moving along with a $10 million grant, aimed at setting up Quino’s first commercial project. If all goes according to plan, the project — located at a health care facility in California — will provide 100% of backup capacity in case of emergency, while also saving the facility $10 million in electricity costs over 20 years.

The Energy Department followed in short order with another grant of $5 million in July, carved out for Quino from a $15 million funding pot in support of next-generation energy storage solutions.

A New Flow Battery Is Coming For Your Fossil Fuels

Considering the data center connection, Quino will have plenty of opportunities to sell its wares here in the US. Still, it’s a big world out there and opportunities abound. Earlier today word dropped that the Indian firm Atri Energy Transition has invested $10 million in Quino, with an extra $6 million available if needed.

“The funds will be used to scale production of the Company’s proprietary organic flow battery electrolyte beyond the United States and demonstrate its efficacy in real-world field pilot demonstrations by pairing it with commercially available flow battery hardware,” Quino explained, indicating that it has expanded its mission to include both purpose-built equipment and repurposed oil tanks.

“Because our organic electrolyte can be used in vanadium flow battery hardware with minimal modification, we will be able to scale rapidly in partnership with our friends and allies in the flow battery industry,” Quino CEO Eugene Beh said, hammering home the point.

“The new electrolyte factory we are planning will enable production at a cost lower than vanadium, the incumbent flow battery electrolyte. Ultimately, we expect to come in at just one-quarter the cost of vanadium at GWh scale and bring big cost reductions to the entire flow battery industry,” Beh added.

“Quino Energy’s mildly alkaline, chloride-free electrolyte is also broadly compatible with carbon steel tanks ubiquitous in oil storage infrastructure that could be repurposed as battery storage facilities,” the company further emphasized.

On its part, Atri indicated a strong focus on renewable energy storage in a LinkedIn post last week. “Renewable energy can only reach its full potential through Energy Storage, which enables round-the-clock renewable power and grid stability,” Atri wrote.

“We believe Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES) is critical for deep decarbonization. Atri is investing in Flow Battery technology, which offers longer life, enhanced safety, and lower levelized costs compared to lithium-ion systems,” the company added. “Our efforts focus on reducing manufacturing costs, improving project financing, and creating scalable storage ecosystems to meet the growing global demand.”

“We are excited to partner with Quino and believe that this partnership will lead to penetration of flow battery technology across the world,” Atri founder S Kishore emphasized in today’s announcement.

Meanwhile, Back In The USA

Meanwhile, Quino is continuing to forge connections here in the US. On July 2, the company announced a new strategic agreement with the Texas-based vanadium flow battery firm TerraFlow Energy. “This collaboration will support TerraFlow’s next generation LDUPS™ (Long Duration Uninterruptible Power Supply) solutions, engineered for high-demand environments including AI data centers, industrial operations, and remote infrastructure,” Quino explains.

In a press statement, Quino also drew attention to the safety advantage of its flow battery chemistry compared to Li-ion technology. “By integrating Quino’s patented, water-soluble quinone chemistry with TerraFlow’s large-format architecture, the partnership aims to deliver fire-safe, scalable storage that avoids reliance on mined critical minerals,” the company stated.

Beh also emphasized the safety element in its collaboration with TerraFlow. “Their focus on industrial-scale energy storage aligns perfectly with our mission to make flow batteries more scalable, accessible, and safe for a wide range of applications, all without any need for critical materials.”

Green hydrogen fans, hold on to your hats. TerraFlow is among the energy storage stakeholders anticipating that the demand for utility-scale batteries will continue to rise with or without support from the White House. The company has set its sights on a long list of high-demand use cases including electrolysis facilities.

Image: The California flow battery startup Quino Energy is continuing to forge new connections in the US while expanding its horizons into India (cropped, courtesy of Quino Energy).