A giant solar-plus-vanadium flow battery project in Xinjiang has completed construction, marking a milestone in China's pursuit of long-duration, utility-scale energy storage.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, vanadium flow batteries use electrolyte solutions containing vanadium ions to store and release energy. The technology offers a number of advantages for grid-scale storage: high safety (non-flammable), long cycle life (over 15 years), and the ability to decouple power and energy capacity, offering greater design flexibility.