Giant Batteries May Be The Missing Piece Of The Renewable Energy Jigsaw

"The solution Dr Huskinson and Dr Marshak propose, in a paper in Nature, is to use molecules called quinones, mixed with sulphuric acid, on one side of the membrane, and a mixture of bromine and hydrobromic acid on the other--and to make the electrodes out of carbon.

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A claim of $27 dollars per KWh of storage would make a large flow battery for home or business use possible. The question still remains as to what kind and how much maintenance and repair is needed and what is the life expectancy of the system as a whole? Things like membrane life, replacement ease and cost, rebuilding the battery system over the life of the unit. If you can get a 20 year life span out of the battery, with minimal maintenance, the electric utility will be very worried. A 400KWh flow battery for $11,000, that could run a home for several days without solar or wind input, yeah, that could do the trick.