TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The material which can take up and release alkali metal ions during operation of the cell is an alkali metal ion insertion compound, e.g. porous carbon electrode which adsorbs and desorbs alkali metal ions. Hybrid redox flow battery contains ion permeable barrier separating the 1st electrode compartment from 2nd electrode compartment, preferably ion permeable barrier is capable of passing the alkali metal ions. Ion permeable barrier is an anion exchange membrane or an anionic membrane which is permeable to anions, separating the 1st electrode compartment from the 2nd electrode compartment, preferably the anion exchange membrane or the anionic membrane which is permeable to anions is impermeable to cations. Alkali metal ions are lithium (Li+), potassium (K+), and/or sodium (Na+), preferably Li+. The 1st electrolyte is liquid electrolyte, and the conduit arrangement is configured to carry liquid electrolyte containing electrochemically active species to 1st electrode compartment in the power delivery mode; and to carry liquid electrolyte containing regenerated electrochemically active species away from 1st electrode compartment in the energy storage mode. The 1st electrode is the anode, and the 2nd electrode is the cathode in which the material of 2nd electrode has formula Ma(M1)nA1 or Ma(M1)nA2A3, such as LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4, Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2, LiNiO2, LiNiPO4, VO2, V2O5, LiV2O5, LiV3O8, Cr3O8, WO3, H2V3O8, MoO3, LiTi2(PO4)3, and/or Li2Mn4O9, preferably LiCoO2, LiMn2O4, LiFePO4, Li(Ni1/3Co1/3Mn1/3)O2, LiNiO2, LiNiPO4, and/or LiV2O5. The 1st electrode is the cathode, and the 2nd electrode is the anode in which the material of 2nd electrode is VO2, H2V3O8, MoO3, LiTi2(PO4)3, LiV3O8, and/or Li2Mn4O9.Ma=Li+, Na+, and/or K+;n=1, 2, or 3;M1=Co, Ni, Mn, Fe, Al, Y, Ti, V, and/or W;A1=chalcogenides, preferably O, S, and/or Se;A2=O-containing inorganic anion, preferably PO43-, SiO44-, and/or SO42-; andA3=absent or F, preferably the 2nd electrode is the cathode.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The material which can take up and release alkali metal ions during operation of the cell is an electronically conducting polymer, e.g. polyacetylene, polyaniline, polypyrrole, polythiophene, polyphenylene, polytriphenylene, polyazulene, polyacene, polyoxyphenazine, carbazole-substituted polyethylene, ferrocene-substituted polyethylene, and/or tetrathiafulvalene-substituted polystyrene.