Australia-based Redflow has provided a hybrid battery system coupled with solar energy generation to create a microgrid that will provide a reliable power supply in a remote village in Thailand.
The energy storage system is made up of 10 Redflow ZBM2 zinc-bromine flow batteries— which provide 10kWh apiece— and three lithium batteries. The ZBM2 batteries will provide power to the Ban Pha Dan community school, town hall, and temple, while the lithium batteries will supply energy for individual homes.
Ban Pha Dan is in Lamphun province and is surrounded by a wildlife reserve where power pylons are not permitted, meaning that the village has lacked access to electricity in the past.
The microgrid project was initiated by Thailand’s Energy Ministry and the Renewable Energy for Sustainable Association, with financial support from the Energy Conservation Promotion Fund.
“This solar-powered microgrid with energy storage shows how to provide environmentally-friendly energy for remote communities”, said Redflow CEO Tim Harris. “Microgrids can deliver the benefits of modern technology without the massive infrastructure spend required by grid-based energy utilities.”
Harris also said the success of the Ban Pha Dan system demonstrates the benefits of solar-powered microgrids for communities in many other Redflow target markets, “including the Asia-Pacific region, southern Africa, and even remote mining communities in Australia.”
Redflow announced in 2017 it had chosen Thailand as the base for its new Southeast Asia manufacturing plant following a review of how to shift manufacturing closer from Mexico to lucrative markets in Southeast Asia and cut supply chain costs.
