Taiwan university develops low-carbon battery tech
台灣大學研發出低碳電池技術
| TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A team from the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology has developed a vanadium redox flow battery that enables low-carbon manufacturing, long lifespan, and high safety, CNA reported.
The vanadium redox flow battery stores energy in liquid solutions held in external tanks, allowing its power and capacity to be adjusted. The battery operates by moving vanadium ions between the two liquids through a specialized membrane, allowing it to store and release energy. This provides a stable solution for grid storage and renewable energy systems. Joseph Kuo (郭俞麟), a professor in the university’s Mechanical Engineering Department and team leader, said that common energy storage batteries include lead-acid and lithium-ion types. While lead-acid batteries are inexpensive, their use raises environmental and recycling concerns. Lithium batteries, on the other hand, offer high energy density and compact size but can pose fire or explosion risks under high temperatures or overcharging. The team experimented with coating metal oxides on the battery materials to act as catalysts. Kuo explained the process is highly sustainable because it avoids the use of acidic solutions and does not produce wastewater. It also requires no high-temperature or vacuum equipment, significantly reducing carbon emissions and safety risks. Kuo said the battery can be integrated with solar and wind power systems to store energy during off-peak periods and release it during peak demand, making it suitable for use in data centers and power infrastructure. The team has conducted mass-production tests and developed a lifespan monitoring system for the battery in collaboration with Taiwanese manufacturers. They also plan to integrate AI and big data analytics to create a battery aging monitoring system that can predict potential failure risks. The research has been published in the international journal Applied Surface Science and received awards in a science competition held by the Teco Technology Foundation and National Taiwan University in August. |
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| Carol Yang Taiwan News, Staff Writer | |
| 2025-11-11 |
