The Sustainable Environergy Research Lab (SERL) of Chemical Engineering Department, IIT Delhi has demonstrated working prototype of Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB). The vanadium redox flow battery can efficiently store and utilize renewable energy for a wide range of applications such as rural electrification, e-vehicle charging station, domestic and commercial power back-up etc. leading to zero carbon footprint.

Environment Pollution (Prevention & Control) Authority (EPCA) has banned the use of diesel generators (except emergency purposes) in Delhi-NCR region from 15th Oct 2020 under Graded Response Action Plan to control the rising air pollution. The flow battery can be an efficient replacement to the polluting diesel generators.

Prof. Anil Verma, SERL, Chemical Engg. Department, IIT Delhi said, “VRFB is non-polluting (no emissions), easily scalable, safe and environmentally friendly, and highly durable. One of the major differences between the flow battery and conventional battery is the independent scaling of power and energy capacity. The flow battery can store energy from kWh to MWh range and suitable for long discharge time with low cost in contrast to the conventional battery.”

Fig.1: VRFB (A combination of battery and diesel generator) possesses the positive attributes of both the technologies

The team is highly enthusiastic about the indigenously developed VRFB technology and actively participating in several national competitions and challenges in order to drive the technology from lab to society.

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi inaugurated the working prototype of VRFB in the presence of Deputy Directors (Operations, and Strategy & Planning). The team members of SERL under the guidance of Prof. Anil Verma have recently filed five patents and also contributed to scientific international journals of repute.