Certain Energy Secures £10M for Manganese Flow Battery Deployment
UK-based long-duration energy storage (LDES) startup Certain Energy, formerly known as RFC Power, has successfully closed a £10 million Series A funding round. The investment was led by the British Business Bank with approximately £3.5 million, alongside strategic participation from Centrica, Ceres Power Holdings, and Temasek Trust's C3H fund.
Advancing Manganese Flow Battery Technology
Certain Energy's core product is an innovative manganese flow battery, which utilizes a manganese electrolyte instead of the more traditional vanadium or lithium. The company claims a round-trip efficiency above 75%, positioning the technology as highly commercially viable for multi-hour to multi-day LDES applications. This performance significantly exceeds the 2-4 hour threshold typically associated with lithium-ion batteries. By avoiding scarce or expensive materials, the manganese chemistry offers a compelling value proposition for developers looking to scale beyond the limitations of current lithium-ion infrastructure.
Strategic Deployment and Expansion
The newly secured funds will be strategically deployed to accelerate the commercialization of their manganese flow battery technology. A key milestone includes the deployment of a grid-connected MWh-class demonstration project in India. This project is designed to generate crucial operational data required to secure future project finance.
Additionally, Certain Energy will expand its UK research facility. This expansion is aimed at developing a scalable supply chain capable of supporting the mass production of replicable LDES projects globally. The expanded facility will also focus on reducing manufacturing costs through process optimization, further enhancing the economic viability of their LDES solutions.
Certain Energy's manganese flow battery claims a round-trip efficiency above 75%, making it commercially viable for multi-hour to multi-day long-duration energy storage applications.
With strong backing from both public and private sector investors, Certain Energy is well-positioned to disrupt the LDES market, offering a cost-effective and highly efficient alternative for grid-scale renewable energy integration.
This article was assisted by AI analysis. Please refer to the original source for official information.