Recently, a 78KW/220KWh vanadium flow battery (VFB) pilot project located in the remote Kununurra area of Western Australia was officially put into operation. This project, led by Western Australian local power company Horizon Power and supplied, installed, and commissioned by VSUN Energy (a subsidiary of Australian Vanadium Limited, AVL), aims to explore the potential of vanadium flow batteries to support renewable energy power supply in extreme environments and to solve the long-term energy storage technology challenges in remote areas.

Stephanie Unwin, CEO of Horizon Power, stated that Kununurra is known for its hot and humid climate, which is a challenging environment for energy storage batteries. By piloting vanadium flow batteries under such extreme conditions, we will gain a deeper understanding of the capabilities of this technology and whether it can be effectively integrated into our energy network.

Graham Arvidson, CEO of AVL, said, "This is the first vanadium flow battery project signed by an Australian energy utility company. Vanadium flow batteries are a 'mature' alternative technology to lithium-ion batteries. Their long-duration energy storage capability, high-temperature resistance, and excellent cycle life give them unique advantages in the transition to renewable energy. Although this technology is very mature, it has not been widely applied in regions like Australia due to the lack of suitable use cases in the past. However, with the increasing demand for long-duration energy storage in the energy industry, the economic and practical application potential of this battery is becoming apparent."

In July 2023, VSUN Energy Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of Australian Vanadium, signed an agreement with Western Australian regional energy supplier Horizon Power to purchase, install, and commission its first all-vanadium flow battery energy storage system in Kununurra, Western Australia; in December of the same year, Australian Vanadium Limited (AVL) announced that it had built a 33MWh electrolyte production factory in the northern suburbs of Perth, the capital of Western Australia.

The Kununurra pilot project will run for 12 months, providing valuable operational experience and technical data for Horizon Power. The project covers an area of over 2.3 million square kilometers, including the North West Interconnected System (NWIS) in the Pilbara region, the Esperance network, and microgrids in 34 regional towns and remote communities.

The released data shows that China is currently the largest producer of vanadium flow battery electrolytes and is the main force in global all-vanadium flow battery production. In terms of production, China is a major producer of vanadium, with global vanadium metal production of about 100,000 tons in 2022, of which China's vanadium metal production was about 70,000 tons, accounting for 70%; followed by Russia, with a production share of 17%; and South Africa, with a production share of 9%.

In terms of reserves, as of 2022, the global vanadium resource reserves total about 26 million tons, with China, Russia, South Africa, and Australia's reserves being 9.5, 7.4, 5, and 3.5 million tons, respectively, accounting for 36.5%, 28.5%, 19.2%, and 13.5%.

Vanadium flow batteries have unique long-duration energy storage capabilities, and their high-temperature resistance and lower environmental requirements make them an ideal choice for energy solutions in remote areas. The Kununurra project not only provides an important pilot for Western Australia to explore clean energy technology but also offers reference experience for energy transformation in other extreme environments. As the technology further matures, vanadium flow batteries are expected to be widely applied in more regions, helping to reduce the use of fossil fuels and promote a global transition to sustainable energy.

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