An international not-for-profit association has been formed by 16 companies with the goal of accelerating the deployment of energy storage and flexibility solutions through flow battery technology.
Flow Batteries Europe (FBE) represents flow battery stakeholders with the goal of shaping a long-term strategy for the flow battery sector.
This will include helping structure the legal framework for flow batteries at the EU level, contribute to the EU decision-making process, and help define R&D priorities.
The organisation was formed on 28 April.
Its main objectives are: to promote the advantages of flow battery technologies and support the European supply chain, to accelerate the development and deployment of the flow battery value chain, and scale up the technology via EU legislation, funding and energy storage projects.
FBE’s members include: five research centres, five industry players, five start-ups and one association.
Kees van de Kerk, managing director at German redox flow battery maker Volterion, was named the FBE’s first president during the first Statutory General Assembly.
Kees said: “I am looking forward to working with the members to share with the European Institutions the benefits of flow batteries and how a strong flow battery industry can contribute to Europe’s climate goals”.
The organisation’s three vice-presidents are: Tobias Janoschka (JenaBatteries), Alexander Schönfeldt (CellCube) and Paul Vollant (Largo Resources). Guillaume Chazalet (Kemiwatt) was named as the treasurer.
Anthony Price, the secretary general of FBE, said: “Between 2010 and 2019, only 7% of the world’s flow battery projects were installed in Europe, with much more R&D and commercial support taking place in North America and Asia.
“Forming FBE is a great opportunity to ensure that Europe takes full advantage of this exciting, safe and efficient battery energy storage technology”.
FBE invites all European industrial and institutional organisations interested in actively promoting flow battery technologies to join.
The founding members are: (Industry) CellCube, InEnergy, Largo Clean Energy, Voith, and W.L. Gore & Associates; (start-up) JenaBatteries, Kemiwatt, Pinflow energy storage, Vanevo, and Volterion; (research) CIC energiGUNE, Cenelest, Tekniker, University of Padua, and Zhaw; and (association member) Vanitec.
For more information, visit www.flowbatterieseurope.eu | @FlowBatteriesEU | Flow Batteries Europe on LinkedIn
