Australian battery hopeful to test its five-hour vanadium flow technology at remote mine site

Perth-based based energy storage hopeful Avess Energy is firming up plans to demonstrate its first vanadium redox flow battery, in a deal that could see its long duration technology used to help power an off-grid mine site.

Avess said on Tuesday it has signed a binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Atlantic Vanadium to demonstrate its 50kW/250kWh (five hour) vanadium flow battery (VFB) prototype at Atlantic’s world-class Windimurra Vanadium Project in Western Australia.

The demonstration will seek to integrate the battery prototype along with some solar panels into an existing microgrid to power non-essential loads at the mine’s campsite, located 670km north of Perth and 80km from Mount Magnet.

Avess says the MoU provides will allow it to validate its VFB technology with a proven vanadium developer while also unlocking “multiple synergies” for both companies, including the ability to leverage Atlantic’s world-class vanadium resource.

The companies say they will now work towards regulatory approvals and definitive agreements on the microgrid project.

“The deployment of our 50kW/250kWh VFB at Windimurra represents a significant milestone for Avess Energy,” said managing director Young Yu.

“This exciting partnership is another step towards the development of the local vanadium supply chain.”

Avess, which owns 50 per cent of South Korea vanadium redox flow battery (VFRB) maker Korid Energy, received delivery of Korid’s “cutting edge” 25kW stacks in June of last year, for integration into its Perth-assembled systems.

The prototype battery was commissioned in February, marking a key step in the company’s plans to manufacture its batteries on Australian soil.

“Today, we have Australia’s first commercial-scale class VRFB, which is now operational and capable of charging and discharging at 50kW of power for up to 5 hours,” Young Yu said at the time.

According to the Avess website, a 25kW/250kWh containerised VRFB module – 10-hour discharge, also with grid capabilities – will be manufactured by Korid Energy in South Korea and shipped to Perth on demand.