The Post Lithium Era: Energy Storage’s New Frontier
- Moses Zaree
- Jun 10
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 27
Energy Storage’s New Frontier
For over a decade, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have dominated the energy storage landscape, from electric vehicles to front-of-the-meter grid applications. But as global demand for renewable integration accelerates, and pressure mounts on supply chains, costs, and sustainability, the once-unquestioned supremacy of LIBs is beginning to fracture. A new class of emerging battery chemistries is preparing to challenge lithium’s dominance in the utility-scale storage space.
These contenders, from vanadium flow to iron-air, are no longer confined to labs or pilot demos. With many reaching Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 6 and 7, they are now climbing toward operational viability and market competitiveness, particularly in China, which is quietly rewriting the global playbook for industrial energy storage.
The Post Lithium Era