Amazon partners with startup to pilot new redox flow battery

Two men discuss redox flow battery which one is sitting on top of
Image: Unbound Potential

Global online retail giant Amazon is trialling a new type of redox flow battery for its energy storage needs in cooperation with Swiss battery startup Unbound Potential.

Unbound Potential has developed a membrane-less redox flow battery that, unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, does not require any critical raw materials, has a longer shelf life and is significantly more cost-effective for stationary applications. The pilot location and launch timeframe is currently being scoped.

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The design of Unbound Potential’s solution differs fundamentally from other redox flow batteries. Instead of using a membrane, the ion exchange is controlled by non-miscible electrolytes. This makes the battery more durable and requires 90% fewer sealing surfaces, and in contrast to lithium, flow batteries do not pose a fire hazard. Therefore, the usual minimum distances for potential risk factors are not required. The technology is becoming more efficient as it is scaled up to industrial-sized energy storage systems, such as those required by Amazon.

Unbound Potential’s energy storage solution addresses Amazon’s challenge of limited solar energy utilisation due to 24/7 operations, enabling the transition to off-grid fulfilment centres powered entirely by renewable sources. Potentially, the startup can help provide long-duration energy storage that meets the energy intensive needs of Amazon’s logistics operations.

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Unbound Potential CEO David Taylor says, “There could be no better partner for our market entry than this pilot with Amazon. The benefits of our battery solution can potentially fit perfectly with Amazon’s storage needs.

“Our next goal is to scale up the technology so that we can offer our systems on an industrial scale. There is a huge demand for durable storage solutions in the logistics sector. Amazon, the world’s largest e-commerce provider, offers the ideal environment to extensively test and further optimise our battery technology.”

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