Mercedes-Benz factory in Germany to host 11 MWh organic flow battery
German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has ordered an Organic SolidFlow storage system from Germany-based provider CMBlu Energy.
The automaker said it will use the 11 MWh storage system for its factory in Rastatt, Germany. The project will be implemented in the second half of 2025.
The battery will temporarily store solar power from PV systems installed at the factory. It reportedly does not require critical raw materials and is almost completely recyclable, according to the manufacturer.
The system is based on high-performance organic energy storage molecules. The material used is lignin, which can be sourced as a by-product from pulp mills. It is filled into two separate tanks and combined for a biochemical reaction in a special unit.
The material is organic, non-flammable, non-explosive, and can live through more than 10,000 charging cycles. The flow battery system has a multi-cell stack design and is only really suitable for stationary storage applications, but it is easily scalable to the gigawatt level.
Mercedes-Benz is currently expanding its renewable energy capacity.
“The integration of energy storage into our production system, which is increasingly powered by renewable energies, is an important factor,” said Jörg Burzer, a management board member at Mercedes-Benz Group AG. “With CMBlu’s organic solid flow technology, we are pursuing innovative approach.”
