Swiss flow battery start-up Unbound Potential is meeting with retail giant Amazon next week to discuss a contract to supply a flow battery system that would be used for energy storage in buildings.
It was one of 15 companies to win a competition with Amazon to scale technology in an industrial pilot project. David Taylor, Unbound’s CEO, told BEST it proposed a 6MWh system that the retailer can support with up to €2 million ($2.2 million). “In fact, we are meeting Amazon next week to start defining a contract framework and timeline etc.,” he said.
“But it’s definitely a trend, Amazon is not the only company willing to engage in early stage pilots for securing their access to next-generation energy storage solutions.” Data centres are another growing area with energy needs, he said.
Unbound Potential has developed a membrane-less redox flow battery. It would be used to discharge solar-generated power at night for Amazon’s 24-hour operations.
Taylor said membrane-less flow batteries exhibit higher energy efficiency and longer lifespan due to the absence of membrane degradation.
Membranes represent 30% of capex. Eliminating them reduces the overall cost and complexity of the system, making it more accessible for widespread adoption.
Instead of a membrane, the ion exchange is controlled by non-miscible electrolytes, which he said makes the battery more durable and requires 90% fewer sealing surfaces.
Fifteen start-ups in a range of industries were chosen as part of the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator programme, which offers start-ups the opportunity to pitch to pilot their technology with Amazon.
They also join a four-week programme with workshops, specialised mentoring and access to a network of entrepreneurs.
Other battery companies selected by Amazon include Breathe Batteries (battery software), Circu Li-Ion (end-of-life batteries) and Twaice (tools to analyse and forecast the lifecycle, faults and safety risks of battery systems).
