Vanadium flow battery arrives in Fremantle, WA

A vanadium flow battery has arrived in Fremantle, WA, and will now be subject to factory acceptance testing (FAT).

The battery forms an important part of the vanadium flow battery (VFB) project being undertaken by Australian Vanadium’s (ASX:AVL) subsidiary, VSUN Energy for Horizon Power.

In 2023, Horizon Power entered a partnership with VSUN Energy to purchase its first VFB. The VFB was supplied by global manufacturer Invinity Energy Systems.

This battery will be used for a long duration energy storage pilot in Kununurra, WA.

The 22kWh battery, which can deliver up to 78kW of power, will undertake FAT in early 2024. During this process, VSUN energy will host a number of industry participants to view the battery.

Testing of the VFB will be held in conjunction with Horizon Power and will demonstrate a variety of use cases.

Once final project components are received by Horizon Power, the battery will be deployed to a site in Kununurra for VSUN Energy to install and commission.

Australian Vanadium chief executive Graham Arvidson says the arrival of the battery is a key step in the company’s strategy.

“The arrival of the vanadium flow battery for VSUN Energy’s Horizon Power project demonstrates another key step in AVL’s ‘pit to battery’ strategy,” he said.

“We are looking forward to working with Horizon Power to successfully deliver this project, allowing the utility to benefit from the role that VFBs can play in enabling decarbonisation and providing reliable, low cost, long duration grid energy storage, with the potential for high levels of local content when coupled with AVL’s WA-made vanadium electrolyte.”