Renewables storage firm Vsun Energy is bidding to use vanadium redox flow (VRFB) batteries in a trial standalone power systems (SPS) project in Western Australia (WA).
WA’s energy minister Ben Wyatt has given the green light for electricity distributor Western Power to conduct the SPS demonstration within part of the state’s South West Interconnected Network— with 60 locations earmarked to take part.
The SPS uses a combination of batteries, renewable energy and diesel gensets to shore up power supplies.
Vsun, a subsidiary of emerging vanadium producer Australian Vanadium, said it has submitted a registration of interest to take part in the project.
Australian Vanadium said VFRBs “have particular strengths that are useful in SPS”— including the ability to store large amounts of energy, which “means that there is a reduced reliance on diesel”. “If sized correctly, diesel can be removed altogether.”
The company said VRFBs are also “non-flammable, meaning that they are ideally suited to the many bushfire-prone areas in WA”.
An SPS is “particularly useful in areas on the fringe of the existing grid where power is not as stable, or in remote, off-grid locations”, Australian Vanadium said.