Redox Reservoir Strategies for Modular Electrochemical Processes

With the growth of solar and wind energy, the frequency of situations where excess electricity is produced is growing and the cost of electricity varies. New strategies are needed to harness this excess electricity and stabilize the electrical grid. One promising strategy would be to leverage the “surplus electricity” generated during periods of peak generation to produce valuable chemicals and materials.
This research targets breakthrough technology through the development of “redox reservoirs” that can capture electrical energy during periods of grid surplus and make it available on-demand for the production of valuable chemicals. The modular and flexible nature of this redox reservoir strategy will provide the basis for integrated, self-sustained energy storage and chemical production facilities in a decentralized fashion. This project positions the University of Wisconsin–Madison to be a leader in this new field of research.

Principal Investigator:

• Song Jin
  Professor of Chemistry
  

Co-Investigators:

• Shannon Stahl
  Professor of Chemistry
• Thatcher Root
  Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering