Over three days, the International Flow Battery Forum (IFBF) will present and discuss the latest trends in the world of flow batteries, a non-lithium energy storage technology which is a very important asset for the uptake of long duration energy storage - and the accomplishment of renewable energy targets - in Europe and beyond.

Brussels, 15 April 2025 - On 24-26 June, the IFBF is returning to Vienna for the first time since 2010. Taking place at the InterContinental Hotel, the event will be hosted by Cellcube, one of the leading flow batteries companies, proudly founded and located in Vienna. Their COO Christoph Stelzer will welcome the participants and introduce Cellcube's flow battery strategy for the next years. The site visit to Cellcube's headquarters, scheduled for Thursday 26 June, is already sold out, confirming the high interest around their technology.

To celebrate the 15th edition of the forum, a high-level and diverse setlist of speakers has been invited, including policymakers, market professionals, and utilities delegates. They add up to an already packed lineup with the global experts of the flow battery sector. Around 40 poster presenters complete the programme, whose ultimate goal is to gather the categories involved in flow batteries: industry, academia and students.

Commissioner David Hochshild, Chair of the California Energy Commission (CEC), will be explaining the background to California's Long Duration Energy Storage initiative and the need to have diversity in energy storage systems, with 6 different non-lithium long duration technologies under development and demonstration. Under the CEC's guidance, California has a big portfolio of operational flow batteries, and the CEC intends to increase the state's portfolio.

It will be a timely moment to discover how recent changes might impact on one of the boldest programmes in the world for supporting new energy technologies. Up till now, flow batteries from not only the USA, but also Europe and Asia, have been successfully installed in California, and more are planned.

Viktor Horváth, Deputy State Secretary for the Energy Transition of Hungary will give a keynote on the topic of diverse energy storage technologies for the energy transition. This leads into talks and discussions on the different support mechanisms for long duration energy storage and flow batteries in particular, including the recent programme for cap and floor capacity payments for long duration storage in Great Britain, which will be compared with other types of support for growing the long duration energy storage market.

The business cases for flow batteries will be at the centre of many presentations, both at small and large scale. Users and operators of storage including Verbund, Energie Burgenland, EDF and EDP Renewables will talk on the role of flow batteries and energy storage in their operations, and we will also hear from Philip Krause of Rongke Power on the challenges and operational performance of their multi 100 MWh flow batteries in China. Pascal Wyss from Flexbase, will expand on their plans for a 100 MW plus flow battery in Switzerland.

Data centres, renewable energy installations, grid balancing, and industrial and commercial facilities need large scale installations for energy management. But energy storage is also diverse and can be distributed, so we will also include smaller scale installations, and a range of technology types. The programme will close with eyes on the skies, with a report on flow batteries in space by Jan Girschik of Fraunhofer UMSICHT, and news of a programme funded by the German Space Agency.

For all the information about programme and tickets, please check the official website: https://www.accelevents.com/e/u/checkout/International-Flow-Battery-Forum-2025