The actual arguments in the article are weak enough that I'm having trouble paraphrasing them fairly. Instead, I'll point to the numbers:
1) li ion cost is at $150-$300/kWh today
2) these are for batteries that have warranties for 5000-7000 cycles, not the small number that the author got from a website
3) actual installation levels on the grid are far higher than the author estimated.
I have nothing against vanadium flow batteries, other than the aren't shipping much. If the can actually hit the $150/kWh mark they say they can in the article, they should be shipping a ton of batteries. And if they are shipping, they should publicize a bit more! California and other states are looking for non-lithium ion batteries with 8 hour+ duration, so there's a market for vanadium even if it can't compete on price.
1) li ion cost is at $150-$300/kWh today 2) these are for batteries that have warranties for 5000-7000 cycles, not the small number that the author got from a website 3) actual installation levels on the grid are far higher than the author estimated.
I have nothing against vanadium flow batteries, other than the aren't shipping much. If the can actually hit the $150/kWh mark they say they can in the article, they should be shipping a ton of batteries. And if they are shipping, they should publicize a bit more! California and other states are looking for non-lithium ion batteries with 8 hour+ duration, so there's a market for vanadium even if it can't compete on price.