all good questions. the answer, like with most things is...it depends. vanadium flow batteries are very very competitive on longer timelines for permanent infrastructure.
lithium batteried have a shelf life of 5 years . Depending on cycle management maybe 8. there doesnt currentlt exist a recycling capability or an aftermarket for the spent minersls.
vanadium flow is 25 years and you can sell the spent electrokyte for the minerals after its spent. the infrastructure is a one off purchase as they are just tanks. so the cost at the outset is recoverable in part.
you may have confused production with storage though. but if you skip the storage and go for constant production of baseload power:
pump hydro has an enormous upfront cost and lead times. the energy penalty for pumping makes this almost stupid too. not to mention the environmental impacts of damming. australia is a good example of very poorly managed waterways that come at a cost to agriculture, the environment and fresh water availability.
thermal power requires some pretty unique geology and like hydro costs a bomb to build.
nuclear is expensive to build and waste management is sn issue but by far the most sensible solution.
coal is horrid for environment and requires constant care and maintenance adding huge cost.
solar and wind when paired with a decent storage capability are pretty much the best bet current regulations make it a pain to open the market open to middle size firms.
im a stalker here as i own another vanadium play.
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