Flow Batteries Europe (FBE) recently co-hosted the 2025 edition of the International Flow Battery Forum (IFBF) in Vienna (24–26 June), with CellCube as the event host.
This year’s forum represented a significant milestone for the flow battery industry, drawing over 350 participants – including developers, policymakers and industry leaders – who unveiled major new projects. IFBF 2025 underscored the sector’s growing momentum, with sessions covering technical advancements, global success stories, regulatory challenges, and emerging business models.
In his keynote address, Christoph Stelzer, COO of CellCube, captured the spirit of the event: “The time for demonstrations is over, the time for deployment and customer value is now.”
Stelzer also called for urgent policy action: “Our industry is ready to scale. What’s missing is a policy framework that recognises the strategic role of long-duration storage (LDES). This includes clear definitions, eligibility for grid services and market-based incentives.”
IFBF 2025 made clear that flow batteries have evolved from a niche technology into a commercially viable solution, poised for large-scale adoption. Reflecting on the sector’s journey, Kees van de Kerk, president of Flow Batteries Europe, remarked that while the industry has faced ups and downs, “we have reached the inflection point. The market is there and we must now work together to be cost-effective and scalable.”
A recurring message throughout IFBF 2025 was the importance of collaboration. To accelerate deployment across Europe, stakeholders must align efforts to create a supportive policy and investment environment. As the need for energy security, resilience, and decarbonisation grows, flow batteries stand out as a sustainable and adaptable option for long-duration energy storage.
Despite successful deployments in countries like the US, UK and China, Europe still has ground to cover. Achieving scale will require unified action, robust investment and strong regulatory backing.
FBE remains committed to advancing regulatory reform, promoting standardisation, and fostering industry collaboration to ensure flow batteries become a cornerstone of the energy transition.
The next IFBF will be held in Budapest, Hungary, in 2026.
Image: Kees van de Kerk, president of Flow Batteries Europe at IFBF 2025
