AVL progresses ‘pit to battery’ strategy with vanadium electrolyte manufacturing facility

Australian Vanadium Limited (AVL) announced that construction of its vanadium electrolyte facility in the northern suburbs of Perth has been completed with the facility initially set to produce enough electrolyte annually to fill vanadium redox flow batteries (VFBs) capable of storing 33 MWh.

“We are pleased to have been able to successfully and safely execute another segment of our ‘pit to battery’ strategy,” AVL Chief Executive Officer Graham Arvidson said.

“Production of AVL’s first vanadium electrolyte will position the company to become a trusted supplier for battery projects in Australia and the wider region.”

AVL said the commissioning of the facility has already commenced with first vanadium electrolyte production targeted for 2024.

The facility, funded in part by a $3.69 million Australian government Modern Manufacturing Initiative grant, will utilise electrolyte manufacturing technology licensed from United States-based specialty chemical producer U.S. Vanadium (USV).

The vanadium pentoxide used for electrolyte manufacture will also be sourced from USV initially, prior to supply being available from AVL’s own Australian Vanadium Project being developed near the mining town of Meekatharra in Western Australia’s mid-west.

AVL said vanadium electrolyte produced at the new Perth facility will initially be employed in VFB projects being developed by subsidiary VSUN Energy and will allow AVL to qualify its product with key global VFB manufacturers.

VSUN has already inked a series of supply agreements including with Western Australia’s regional power provider Horizon Power which has signed an agreement for the purchase of a 78 kW/220 kWh VFB that will be installed at Kununurra as part of a long-duration energy storage pilot program.