Unbound Potential: Sustainable Storage for the Energy Transition

Switzerland currently produces six terawatt hours of electricity from renewable energies, excluding hydropower. This figure is projected to grow sixfold by 2030, as stipulated in the Federal Electricity Supply Act. Unfortunately, the amount of electricity that can be generated from renewable energies fluctuates depending on the weather, time of day and season. It must be stored to meet demand reliably. And this is where there is currently a lack of solutions: the battery technologies that exist today either cannot store enough electricity, are too expensive or are dependent on problematic raw materials.

A game changer for the power supply

The Unbound Potential project aims to solve this problem with the support of the Migros Pioneer Fund by developing a new type of storage solution: a membrane-free flow battery based on organic chemicals that can store electricity from renewable energies sustainably and more economically in the long term. The team has already developed the first prototypes, and a pilot project in Thalwil will start next year. They plan to make the concept both marketable and scalable over the coming years. Unbound Potential’s battery technology is not only relevant for companies with high energy requirements, it can also be a game changer for electricity producers.

Strengthening the Swiss electricity grid

The project aims to find a powerful and sustainable alternative to environmentally harmful lithium-ion batteries. By enabling sustainable energy storage, Unbound Potential seeks to make the Swiss electricity grid more efficient and resilient in the long term, laying the foundation for a climate-neutral electricity supply from renewable energy sources.