Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-19DOI: 10.1002/est2.70517
Mwehu Banza Samson, Zheng Cao
{"title":"Dynamic Flexibility and Screening Assessment of a 550 MW Combined-Cycle Gas-Turbine Plant With Two-Tank Molten-Salt Thermal Storage","authors":"Mwehu Banza Samson, Zheng Cao","doi":"10.1002/est2.70517","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70517","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The increasing penetration of variable renewable generation requires combined-cycle gas-turbine plants to follow load more frequently, while repeated cycling reduces part-load efficiency and increases thermal stress. The unresolved problem is whether a utility-scale plant retrofitted with two-tank molten-salt storage can follow a daily dispatch while respecting inventory, thermal, control, degradation, and economic constraints. This study develops a component-based MATLAB/Simulink model of a 550 MW plant and a 488.6 MWhth storage system, including the gas-turbine island, heat-recovery steam generator, steam cycle, molten-salt heater and steam generator, tanks, pumps, heat tracing, supervisory control, direct emissions, a repairable-component availability framework, a normalized thermal-cycle severity indicator, and a screening-level economic model. The design point is calibrated with deviations below 2%. Dynamic credibility is assessed through conservation checks, state-bound and limiting-case tests, and comparison with an internal transient benchmark trajectory; independent plant transient validation remains unavailable. Under a 24 h renewable-rich dispatch, net output ranges from 313.542 to 557.990 MW and daily generation is 10 296.98 MWh, 58.34 MWh above the storage-free trajectory. The storage charges 230.50 MWhth and delivers 399.20 MWhth using both initial inventory and newly stored heat; a closed tank-side balance gives a final state of charge of 9.06%. Direct carbon intensity varies from 0.302 to 0.364 tCO<sub>2</sub>/MWh. The value 1.70 × 10<sup>−4</sup> is retained only as a normalized cycle-severity indicator, not a life fraction. With 31 USD/kWhth installed cost, an 8% discount rate, a 25-year life, and 300 equivalent cycles per year, the levelized cost of stored heat is 15.39 USD/MWhth and ranges from 11.54 to 23.08 USD/MWhth for 400 to 200 cycles. The results demonstrate that storage can widen the dispatch range and shift recovered exhaust heat to high-value periods; however, design and investment decisions require plant transient data, disclosed component maps and controller settings, material-specific degradation laws, vendor reliability data, and annual market-based optimization.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hierarchical CuO Nanorod-Nanoparticle Homojunction for Enhanced Nonenzymatic Glucose Biosensing and Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications","authors":"Kaberi Saha, Kamalesh Debnath, Raju Patel, Vinuta Shetty, Jehova Jire L. Hmar, Tanmoy Majumder","doi":"10.1002/est2.70528","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70528","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to fabricate a novel hierarchical copper oxide nanoparticles-decorated copper oxide nanorod (CuO-CuO) electrode on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate using a three-step synthesis approach, comprising spin-coating, hydrothermal growth, and a subsequent spin-coating process. The resulting CuO-CuO homojunction electrode was utilized as a highly sensitive, cost-effective, nonenzymatic and noninvasive platform for glucose detection as well as electrochemical energy storage application. The surface morphology, particle size, internal structure and crystallinity of the fabricated electrodes were systematically investigated using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In addition, the crystalline phase, structure, phase purity and optical band-gap of the synthesized material were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–visible spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), amperometric <i>i</i> − <i>t</i> and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were carried out to evaluate electrochemical performance of the fabricated electrodes. The CuO-CuO NR demonstrated an excellent sensitivity of 5.33 mA mM<sup>−1</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup> over 0–0.325 mM linear detection range and 14.9 μM as a limit of detection (LOD). The effective surface area (ECSA) of the CuO NR and CuO-CuO NR homojunction electrodes was further investigated to assess the effect of CuO nanoparticles decoration on the availability of electrochemically active sites. The hierarchical CuO-CuO architecture holds considerable potential for emerging electrochemical energy-storage applications, including high-performance supercapacitors and rechargeable battery electrodes. This potential arises from its enlarged surface area, efficient charge-transfer pathways, and high density of electrochemically active sites.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994238","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-18DOI: 10.1002/est2.70515
M. Vaigundamoorthi, K. Vidhya, Balasubbareddy Mallala, Cyril Prasanna Raj
{"title":"Electric Vehicle Charging Demand Forecasting Using Progressive Graph Convolutional Networks With Waterwheel Plant Optimization","authors":"M. Vaigundamoorthi, K. Vidhya, Balasubbareddy Mallala, Cyril Prasanna Raj","doi":"10.1002/est2.70515","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70515","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Electric vehicle (EV) charging demand forecasting is vital for maintaining smart grid (SG) stability, enhancing energy management (EM), and supporting large-scale EV integration. Nevertheless, current forecasting techniques often fail to maintain high prediction accuracy as well as computing efficiency while capturing complex spatial and temporal dependencies. To overcome these drawbacks, this study presents a hybrid Progressive Graph Convolutional Network integrated with the Waterwheel Plant Algorithm (PGCN-WWPA) for EV charging demand forecasting. The PGCN learns spatiotemporal relationships from charging data, while the WWPA optimizes network weights to improve convergence, reduce prediction errors, and enhance model generalization. The proposed framework was evaluated using an EV charging dataset and compared with existing approaches, including the Physics-Informed Attention Graph Network (PIAGN), Artificial Neural Network-Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANN-ANFIS), Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network (LSTMNN), Generative Adversarial Network (GAN), and Heterogeneous Spatial–Temporal Graph Convolutional Network (HSTGCN). The obtained results show that the proposed technique achieved classification performance of 0.97 accuracy, 0.97 precision, 0.99 recall, 0.98 specificity, and 0.98 F1-score, while yielding the lowest prediction errors, with an RMSE of 2.43, MAE of 1.98, and MSE of 0.54. The computational time was reduced to 5.2 s, representing a 30.7% improvement over the strongest baseline, and the model achieved an 18.5% improvement in prediction accuracy compared with HATGCNN. Overall, the outcomes prove that PGCN-WWPA provides more accurate, faster, and scalable EV charging demand forecasting, offering an effective solution for intelligent EM and future SG applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994237","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-17DOI: 10.1002/est2.70527
Anish Deb Turjo, Radheshyam Nath Jisu, Chandrima Deb
{"title":"Numerical Investigation of Phase Change Material-Based Thermal Energy Storage Using Copper-Coated Carbon Foam","authors":"Anish Deb Turjo, Radheshyam Nath Jisu, Chandrima Deb","doi":"10.1002/est2.70527","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70527","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The poor thermal conductivity of phase change materials (PCM) makes them inappropriate for a latent thermal energy storage system. This study numerically investigated the enhancement of PCM thermal performance by embedding copper-coated carbon foam (CCCF) composite with PCM and compared it with Pure PCM and graphite foam configurations. Based on the enthalpy porosity model, a transient 2d model has been developed and validated using ANSYS Fluent. The findings show that CCCF significantly accelerates heat transfer and reduces the melting time by improving its thermal conductivity. Analysis reveals that CCCF reduces the melting time by 76% compared with pure PCM and 25% compared with graphite foam. Hence, this study demonstrates that the CCCF can become an effective solution for improving the thermal conductivity of PCM, along with its significant possible use in a PCM-oriented thermal energy storage system.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-15DOI: 10.1002/est2.70522
Suleman Bawa
{"title":"Bridging the Storage Gap in Renewable Power Systems: A Systematic Meta-Analysis","authors":"Suleman Bawa","doi":"10.1002/est2.70522","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70522","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The rapid expansion of wind and solar power has exposed a fundamental challenge in electricity systems: aligning variable generation with continuous demand. This study addresses this temporal imbalance through a systematic meta-analysis of 112 techno-economic studies published between 2018 and 2025, with all cost data harmonized to 2024 conditions under consistent financial and operational assumptions. The novelty of this study lies in the joint application of: (1) a harmonized analytical framework that combines updated cost benchmarks with learning-based projections to reduce bias from publication lag; (2) climate-zone stratification that directly tests the structural “latitude bias” in the literature; (3) life-cycle critical-mineral-intensity indicators; and (4) an explicit distinction between storage-level and system-level costs. The results show that lithium-ion batteries remain cost-effective for short-duration applications. However, recent cost declines extend their competitiveness beyond earlier estimates, with the economic duration threshold now more fluid than previously assumed. For mid-duration storage, flow batteries and metal-air systems exhibit more stable cost scaling, with iron-air technologies emerging as a low-cost option with projected capital costs of approximately $22/kWh. For long-duration and seasonal storage, hydrogen becomes economically relevant in regions with pronounced seasonal variability. In contrast, in tropical systems, solar overbuilding combined with moderate-duration storage achieves comparable reliability under the modeled tropical-system assumptions at approximately 30% lower system cost than the hydrogen-based seasonal storage benchmark. Cost outcomes are highly sensitive to assumptions such as charging prices, discount rates, and reliability criteria. Distinguishing between storage-level and system-level costs reveals that optimal solutions depend on both technology characteristics and regional resource patterns. Overall, no single technology dominates across all durations; cost-effective decarbonization requires a portfolio of storage solutions supported by market frameworks that value reliability and flexibility.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148994003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-13DOI: 10.1002/est2.70516
Sefa Yılmaz
{"title":"MXene-Enabled Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Structure, Performance, and Outlook","authors":"Sefa Yılmaz","doi":"10.1002/est2.70516","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70516","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The practical use of latent-heat storage materials is frequently constrained by slow heat transfer, loss of the molten phase, and performance deterioration during repeated operation. MXenes provide a versatile platform for addressing these limitations because their conductive two-dimensional structure can be combined with chemically active surfaces and adaptable three-dimensional frameworks. This review evaluates MXene-enabled phase change materials by connecting structural design with heat-transfer behavior, energy-storage capacity, molten-phase retention, cycling durability, and light- or electricity-driven heat generation. Particular attention is given to the differences among dispersed nanosheets, aerogels, foams, and hybrid conductive networks. Across the representative systems examined, thermal conductivity ranges from 0.146 to 2.052 W m<sup>−1</sup> K<sup>−1</sup>, and the maximum reported enhancement reaches 255.1%. Three-dimensional aerogel and hybrid structures generally establish more continuous heat-transfer routes and provide stronger physical retention of the phase change material than individually dispersed nanosheets. However, these benefits are sensitive to pore characteristics, interfacial resistance, MXene concentration, and the reduction in the phase-changing fraction. The available evidence further shows that oxidation, sheet restacking, manufacturing complexity, and the competing requirements of conductivity and latent heat remain major obstacles to practical implementation. Progress toward application therefore depends on oxidation-tolerant structures, reproducible long-duration testing protocols, and fabrication methods that can be transferred to larger production scales.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148950555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Geological Suitability for Underground Energy Storage in Morocco: Salt Formations, Porous Media, and Abandoned Mines","authors":"Nour Eddine Berkat, Mohamed Boumehdi, Lahsen Achkouch, Júlio F. Carneiro, Yassine Zarhloule, Alae-Eddine Barkaoui, Othman Sadki","doi":"10.1002/est2.70508","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70508","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study provides a national-scale assessment of Morocco's geological suitability for underground energy storage in salt formations, porous reservoirs, and abandoned mines. It develops a comparative spatial decision framework adapted to Morocco's geological diversity, integrating geological, lithological, structural, hydrogeological, environmental, socio-economic, and infrastructure-related criteria. The workflow combines a geospatial database with a multi-criteria decision approach, in which indicators such as depth, thickness, porosity, permeability, caprock conditions, fault proximity, seismic risk, protected areas, and distance to energy infrastructure were standardized, weighted, and spatially combined to classify storage suitability. The weighting procedure was supported by the analytic hierarchy process, with consistency verification and sensitivity analysis used to improve methodological transparency. The results indicate that salt-bearing sectors located near Casablanca and Agadir, especially those located near major industrial and renewable-energy corridors, represent favorable targets for compressed-air, natural-gas, and hydrogen storage because of their low permeability, sealing capacity, and pressure resistance. Porous reservoirs mainly represented by Paleozoic to Neogene formations show promising but more site-dependent potential, particularly where reservoir quality and caprock integrity are favorable. Abandoned mines are identified as locally attractive options for thermal-energy storage and underground pumped-hydro storage, although their feasibility depends strongly on rock-mass stability, hydrogeological conditions, and previous mining disturbances. The resulting suitability maps reveal clear spatial differences between the three storage options and can support the identification of priority areas for detailed investigation and future energy-storage development in Morocco.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 7","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148950554","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-08DOI: 10.1002/est2.70512
Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali, Laveet Kumar, Mohammed Nazibul Hasan, Roshan Manghwar
{"title":"Performance Enhancement of Thermoelectric Generators Integrated With Phase Change Materials: A Transient Numerical Analysis","authors":"Mohamed Sultan Mohamed Ali, Laveet Kumar, Mohammed Nazibul Hasan, Roshan Manghwar","doi":"10.1002/est2.70512","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70512","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study presents a numerical analysis of thermoelectric generators (TEGs) integrated with a heat sink and phase change materials (PCMs), focusing on their combined impact on thermal management and power output. The module, comprising a bismuth telluride (Bi<sub>2</sub>Te<sub>3</sub>)-based TEG coupled with a paraffin wax PCM, was evaluated using finite element analysis across a range of PCM thicknesses. Results indicate that incorporating PCM effectively reduces the cold-side temperature during the melting process, thereby sustaining a more stable temperature gradient (Δ<i>T</i>) across the module. This leads to significant enhancement in the output power by maintaining a higher Δ<i>T</i> between the hot and cold junctions during the phase change process. As a result, the peak output power increased by approximately 3.5 times compared to a standalone TEG operating under identical conditions. While peak power magnitude varied only slightly with PCM thickness, the duration of peak output improved significantly from 60 s at 1 mm to 360 s at 3 mm. Among the configurations studied, a PCM thickness of 3 mm delivered the most effective balance between thermal buffering and power stability. These findings offer quantitative insights for the design of compact PCM-assisted TEG modules intended for operation under fluctuating thermal inputs.</p>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/est2.70512","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148942835","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Energy StoragePub Date : 2026-09-03DOI: 10.1002/est2.70507
Muhammad Oneeb, Javed Iqbal, Marhaba Noor
{"title":"Electrolyte-Dependent Charge Storage Behavior of V2O5 Nanoparticles for Aqueous Supercapacitors","authors":"Muhammad Oneeb, Javed Iqbal, Marhaba Noor","doi":"10.1002/est2.70507","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70507","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Understanding the interplay between electrode nanostructure and electrolyte chemistry is crucial for designing high-performance supercapacitors. Here, we investigate the electrolyte-dependent charge storage behavior of V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> nanoparticles synthesized via a facile sol–gel method. Comprehensive structural and morphological analyses confirm uniform V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub> nanoparticles with high surface area, promoting efficient ion diffusion and redox activity. Electrochemical performance was systematically evaluated in 1 M acidic (H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>), alkaline (KOH), and neutral (Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>) electrolytes using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Among all electrolytes, KOH delivers the highest specific capacitance of 430 F g<sup>−1</sup> at 1 A g<sup>−1</sup> (446 F g<sup>−1</sup> at 5 mV s<sup>−1</sup>) and excellent rate capability, attributed to high K<sup>+</sup> ionic mobility and favorable desolvation. Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> exhibits higher cycling stability, retaining 90% of initial capacitance over 6000 cycles, while H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> provides moderate capacitance (380 F g<sup>−1</sup> at 1 A g<sup>−1</sup>) with intermediate stability. This study establishes a direct correlation between electrolyte environment, structural evolution, and electrochemical performance, providing actionable insights for designing durable and efficient V<sub>2</sub>O<sub>5</sub>-based supercapacitors.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148942403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"High-Performance Sulfonated Polyphenyl Sulfone Electrospun Proton Exchange Membranes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrochemical Properties","authors":"Elif Çolak, Seniyecan Kahraman, Buse Çetin, Derya Unlu, Filiz Uğur Nigiz","doi":"10.1002/est2.70506","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/est2.70506","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Electricity generation from sustainable and renewable energy sources has become one of the key research priorities recently. The increasing investments in wind and solar power generation have highlighted the necessity of developing efficient energy storage technologies for smart grid systems and electric vehicle infrastructures. In this context, the need for more durable, environmentally friendly, and technically advanced energy storage systems has become increasingly important. Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) represent one of the most promising large-scale energy storage technologies, attributed to their high efficiency, extended cycle life, and design versatility. A crucial element of VRFBs is the proton exchange membrane (PEM), which facilitates proton transfer and directly affects the overall system performance. The elevated expense and restricted chemical stability of commercial membranes like Nafion have necessitated the search for alternative, cost-effective, and resilient materials. In this study, a novel membrane with high proton conductivity, mechanical strength, and cost efficiency was developed as an alternative to Nafion. Polyphenyl sulfone (PPSU), a thermally and chemically stable engineering polymer, was chemically sulfonated and fabricated into fibrous membranes using the electrospinning technique. The synthesized sulfonated PPSU (sPPSU) membranes demonstrated an ion exchange capacity (IEC) of 2.1 meq g<sup>−1</sup> and a proton conductivity of 1.68 × 10<sup>−2</sup> S cm<sup>−1</sup>. These results indicate that the developed sPPSU-based membranes provide a promising, durable, and cost-effective alternative as PEMs for fuel cells and all redox flow battery applications.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":11765,"journal":{"name":"Energy Storage","volume":"8 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148942157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}