Sumitomo Electric, the Japan-based manufacturer, has delivered its vanadium redox flow (VRF) battery to the Innovation Academy Smart Energy building on the Nakamozu Campus of Osaka Metropolitan University (OMU) in Japan.
The VRF battery is designed to meet the net zero energy building (ZEB) standards, emphasising energy efficiency, energy generation, and energy storage. It was chosen because VRF batteries have a long service life and stable operation with minimal fire risk, being suited towards ZEBs and decentralised energy systems.
A non-flammable electrolyte was used for the battery, and the components were made of flame-retardant materials. The firm claims this means it is not considered hazardous under fire safety regulations, nor were any special permits required. The VRF battery is also said to not have degradation of electrolyte or electrodes due to its charge/discharge mechanism.
It has been integrated with the AI-driven cloud-based control system SenaSon developed by Kansai Electric Power, as part of a research and demonstration project aimed at improving energy utilisation in the Smart Energy building. The control system will be used for power demand forecasting, solar energy prediction, charge/discharge operations, and AI-based optimisation models for the building’s energy management system.
It is designed to enhance research infrastructure through the collaboration of the industry, academia and the government. This is an initiative led by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT).
The Innovation Academy Smart Energy building will serve as a demonstration field for next-generation energy systems to contribute to a decarbonised regional society in Osaka.
Sumitomo Electric said it is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing the adoption of renewable energy, and deploying its VRF batteries.
Image: A composite image of the Innovation Academy Smart Energy Building with the VRF battery unit (left) and it installed in the Smart Energy Building (right). Credit: OMU and Sumitomo Electric.
