Australian flow battery maker eyes largest install to date after inking US deal

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Queensland-based zinc-bromine flow battery maker Redflow announced on Wednesday it had signed a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Anaergia subsidiary SoCal Biomenthane to collaborate on the installation of a fully wrapped solar and 5.5-6.0MWh battery storage solution at its biomethane plant in California.

Under the terms of the agreement, Redflow has a first right of refusal to supply approximately 5.5–6.0 MWh of batteries to be installed at SoCal Biomenthane’s Victor Valley bioenergy plant which converts food waste and wastewater into natural gas.

Redflow said the new solar and storage project is designed to lower the plant’s energy costs over the life of the system and reduce the carbon footprint of its industrial processes.

The project, which is targeted to be completed in the first half of 2023, comes after Redflow recently completed a 2MWh battery installation at Anaergia’s Rialto Bioenergy Facility in California.

Redflow chief executive officer Tim Harris said the Rialto energy storage solution, comprising 12 of the company’s 160kWh ‘Energy Pods’, was its largest installation to date but the new project is set to overshadow it, providing renewed exposure to the considerable US market.

“Having identified the US market as a key growth market for Redflow, it is terrific to see our profile in the US continuing to build,” he said.

“We are developing a track record of executing on projects in the US, where there is a strong underlying demand for energy storage to meet carbon footprint targets, including non-lithium solutions.

“If it proceeds, at up to 6MWh, the Victor Valley Project will be our largest deployment to date, involving the supply of up to 600 Generation 3 batteries.”

A worker carries out routine maintenance at the Anaergia site.

Image: Redflow

Redflow said its batteries – which earlier this month were selected by US non-profit standards development organisation Underwriters Laboratories to be tested as part of a study into the key technical attributes of redox flow batteries – are designed for high cycle-rate, long time-base stationary energy storage applications, and are scalable from small systems through to grid-scale deployments.

Harris said the company’s batteries offer unique advantages including secure remote management, 100% daily depth of discharge, tolerance of high ambient temperatures, and sustained energy delivery throughout their operating life.

“Our deployment for Anaergia’s Rialto bioenergy facility demonstrated that our zinc-flow battery energy storage solutions were ideal for meeting the needs of US commercial and industrial customers as our batteries can thrive under tough conditions for extended durations,” he said.

“Redflow is uniquely placed to be at the forefront of energy storage as large commercial and industrial companies look to execute on their renewable energy strategies.”

Harris said under the terms of  the LOI, Redflow will assist in the selection of a project constructor by providing technical support on integrating its zinc-bromine flow battery technology into the solar and storage solution and refining the project scope to meet SoCal Biomenthane’s requirements.

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