Antipodean minerals company Australian Vanadium Limited is set to bring vanadium electrolyte production expertise and capability to the country for the first time.
The firm has bought the pilot plant from UK organisation C-Tech Innovation Limited, which will allow the vertical integration of the technology through stand-alone and planned mine-attached facilities.
The test plant will be based in a laboratory facility in Perth. It is due to start testing a variety of vanadium source once commissioned in July.
The pilot plant will be used to test and verify the production of vanadium electrolyte products for use in third party vanadium redox flow battery products.
The plant uses an experimental vanadium electrolyte production system, consisting of an electrochemical cell and complete balance of plant, to facilitate investigations into the commercial production of vanadium electrolyte.
Skid-mounted and self-contained the plant will be able to produce high quality vanadium electrolyte in a single operation without the need for chemical reductants.
Results from chemical analysis will then be shared with C-Tech and GILDEMEISTER Energy Storage with the aim of producing a solution for its vanadium redox flow CellCube.
The success of the tests will determine if plans for commercial electrolyte plant are finalised.
Vincent Algar, AVL’s Managing Director said: “For AVL, developing the expertise now prepares us for future commercial production of electrolyte.
“This has the potential to be a high volume, high margin business unit for us, providing benefit to shareholders and simultaneously lowering the price of VRB in the Australian market.
“This also enables the increased uptake of VRB systems to occur in the many niches offered in the Australian energy market.”
Shipping of the plant will commence within the next few weeks on completion of the unit in the UK.
