Western Australia has revealed a new long-duration vanadium flow battery pilot in the town of Kununurra exploring the use of the technology in microgrids and off-grid power systems.
The 78kW/220kWh battery energy storage system (BESS), supplied by VSUN Energy, a subsidiary of Australian Vanadium, is being used to explore the usage of long-duration energy storage (LDES) technology in the state with the support of state energy provider Horizon Power.
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Reece Whitby, Western Australia’s energy minister, emphasised that the pilot project will not only support the energy transition in the state but also provide crucial findings to help Horizon Power better understand how batteries and microgrids can be deployed throughout the state.
“Our continued investment in battery storage means households throughout Western Australia can continue to reap the benefits of rooftop solar,” Whitby added.
Australia’s vanadium prospects
Readers of Energy-Storage.news will likely be aware of the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) supplier’s parent company, Australian Vanadium, given their presence within the Western Australian market.
In December 2023, the company completed a factory in Perth, the state capital, dedicated to producing electrolyte for vanadium redox flow batteries. The plant had been supported with a grant from the Australian federal government under its Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
Australian Vanadium was also selected in 2021 for an AU$3.69 million (US$2.41 million) award alongside seven other companies or projects focused on developing Australian resources and critical minerals sector value chains.
The company is developing primary vanadium production and processing capabilities and constructing a processing hub to produce 13,000 tonnes of vanadium pentoxide flake each year.
Additionally, the company plans to build a vanadium mine, also in Western Australia. The government has designated this mine a project of national importance and is expediting its construction.
Western Australia is not the only state exploring the potential benefits of vanadium and the economic opportunity it could create. Queensland, with its goal of becoming a world leader in renewable energy, has an abundance of vanadium that could be harnessed to achieve this end.
Queensland has reserves of vanadium that could be leveraged, giving the state a competitive edge over rival domestic and international markets. This was complemented by the state’s official battery strategy, which was released as part of its major Energy and Jobs Plan.
