Renewable energy is a big business in the UAE, its solar-power
sector is growing really fast. It was forecasted that the industry would add
1,000 jobs over the coming two years. Still, a major difficulty remains in how
to store the electricity the sector generates for the times when it is needed
most.
One solution now being employed involves redox flow batteries (RFBs) that
make use of the element vanadium (VRFBs). These can be used to convert
electrical energy into chemical energy, which then can be turned back into
electricity when needed. However, according to the Masdar Institute of Science
and Technology, the technology needs substantial improvements, including cost
reduction, increase of energy density and extending range of operational temperatures,
which currently are only between 10°C to
40°C. Read more at http://www.thenational.ae/
