http://www.financialpost.com/Vanadium+Energy+Holy+Grail/3949307/story.html

article is too long to post here.

The race is on to build a better battery.

A little-known metal called vanadium is beginning to play a pivotal role in both battery power and energy storage technology. This is because vanadium makes highly powerful and efficient batteries -- both in a stand-alone capacity for large-scale power grid usage and as an additive in small-scale battery applications.