Wind and solar electrical generation in southern Sweden have good possibilities to increase net income 3-4 times with new technology for large scale flow-batteries.
Preliminary analysis for wind turbines in Sweden that have best ranking for increase of income with large-scale flow batteries, based on 1 year per hour data for wind (source www.smhi.se/en) and price for electricity (source www.nordpoolgroup.com).
Large consumers of electricity can also achieve a sizeable annual saving in their electricity costs, but the most valuable benefit with large-scale flow batteries is most likely increased certainty in electricity supply that allow high-power industries in geographical areas with overloaded power grid.
The key to the success of flow batteries is large-scale power consumption (1 - 10 MW) with long storage time (60 - 120 hours) since incremental cost of increasing storage duration is low.
Safety is another large benefit with flow-batteries. As electricity is stored in eco-friendly liquid with relatively low energy density, there is no risk of fire or explosion, compared to most other battery technologies. This also means that large storage volume is required at affordable cost.
The picture shows an example of a cost-effective mechanical structure of prefabricated modules for flow batteries that can be built underground in places where the depth to bedrock is 10 - 20 meters. For example beneath foundations of larger buildings or larger parking areas, or under cultivated arable lands.
Locations beneath farmed land also offers benefits of safer irrigation during longer periods of drought and new technology for long-term self-sufficiency of fertilization, in exchange for access to non-used storage area for large-scale flow batteries beneath farmed land.
Flow-battery plants above ground is of course also possible at large areas with buildable land that allow higher buildings at affordable cost, or under water in areas with sea-based wind turbines.