Contributed Commentary by Scott Childers, Vice President, Essential Power at Stryten Energy
March 6, 2025 | Electrification is a major trend across a wide range of industries in the United States. Energy consumption is projected to increase 27% by 2050. More renewable power sources are being added every year to meet the rising demand and support the aging grid infrastructure. However, additional energy storage capacity is also necessary to capture all energy generated by wind and solar sources. In 2022, California generated but lost 1.9 TWh of solar energy, which could have powered 200,000 homes for a year. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) prevent such waste.
Provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) have incentivized companies to invest in domestic manufacturing, specifically related to solar, wind, batteries and critical mineral components. While the IRA has focused primarily on lithium battery production, the U.S. cannot rely on this single chemistry to provide enough capacity. China currently dominates global lithium battery production and is projected to control almost 70% of total capacity by 2030. While U.S. lithium battery production capacity is projected to grow more than 10 times, it would still only represent 10% of global capacity even if America can grow at that rate. We need a mix of BESS options built on domestic supply chains to truly keep up with demand.
Two chemistries, lead and vanadium, are worth greater investment and focus as we transition to cleaner energy.
Lead: The Current and Future Workhorse
There’s a reason why the U.S. has relied on lead batteries for more than a century: they’re dependable for up to 30 years, have a nearly 100% recyclability rate, and 83% of the lead battery manufacturers need can be sourced from North American recycling facilities. In addition, new lead batteries are comprised of 80% recycled material. The lead battery industry has set the standard for how U.S. manufacturers can create sustainable supply chains without relying on overseas producers.
BESS technology built on lead batteries is best for short- to medium-duration energy needs. Businesses and municipalities can install a lead BESS connected to rooftop solar to maintain critical operations during a power outage. Such microgrids could also provide additional energy for power-hungry data centers and ensure energy resilience for military bases and hospitals.
The U.S. Department of Energy is investing heavily to help make lead an even more affordable option for BESS development, with the goal of reaching a $0.05/kWh levelized cost of storage through its Energy Storage Grand Challenge. With greater attention paid to the possibilities of lead, we can quickly ramp up lead battery manufacturing to meet renewable energy demands.
Vanadium: A Solution Ready Today
Although battery manufacturers are still in the early stages of commercializing vanadium technology, the chemistry could be the solution to many of the U.S.’ long-duration energy storage challenges. Vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) systems are ideally suited for applications that require energy storage for up to 12 hours. It’s capable of storing excess energy during high production hours and discharging when use is highest, making it a great fit for reducing renewable energy curtailment.
VRFB systems offer a near-limitless cycle life with proper maintenance and high-capacity stability, lasting more than 20 years without the electrolyte losing energy storage capacity. This longevity complements the lifespan of wind and solar installations. Another key to vanadium’s potential lies in its similarity to lead’s recyclability. Vanadium is easily recyclable, allowing the electrolyte to be reconditioned for use in new systems.
Currently, vanadium is mostly used as an alloying agent to improve the performance and strength of steel. As a result, pricing typically follows swings in the construction market. As VRFB reaches a more consistent demand in the energy storage space, its pricing will be less prone to fluctuation. Market projections estimate that global demand for VRFBs will grow at a CAGR of 41% to 2030.
A 175MW/700MWh VRFB project was recently completed in China, one of the largest of its type in the world. VRFBs are also scaling up in Australia, with the pilot of a 78 kW/220 kWh system. Smaller projects are underway in the U.S., and we need to ramp up to avoid falling behind as we did with lithium battery production. It’s a bright future, and battery manufacturers are working to make it possible.
Multiple Chemistries for Multiple Use Cases
The reality of our renewable energy storage challenge is that we need to ramp up BESS production to meet demand. There is no singular solution to meet all our short-, medium- and long-duration needs. We need options with a smaller footprint that can deliver power for just a few hours, as well as options that may take up more space but can power buildings, neighborhoods or communities for days.
The infrastructure is going up fast to capture wind and solar energy. We need a diverse set of options to store excess generation to meet the increasing power demands. BESS technology powered by lead and vanadium offers us the path forward.
Scott Childers is Vice President, Essential Power division of Stryten Energy. In this role, he is responsible for growing the company’s energy solutions and new technology offerings. He champions clean, renewable energy opportunities for Stryten and actively works with utilities and original equipment manufacturers to deploy long-duration, sustainable energy storage solutions.
Mr. Childers spent more than 15 years in the automotive industry, working for General Motors and its subsequent spin-off Delphi Automotive where he served in a variety of capacities between engineering, operations and other leadership roles. Concurrent with his time at GM, he served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer. First as a platoon leader in an Army National Guard Transportation Unit, and a final tour as an officer and engineer with Wright Patterson Airforce Base Civil Engineering Department.
Mr. Childers is the Chairman of the Flow Battery Industry Group, an industry group formed by Battery Council International. The industry group’s initial mandate is to bring together flow battery manufacturers and suppliers to develop approaches to address key common issues facing the industry, including testing, safety and industry statistics. He can be reached at scott.childers@stryten.com.
