22 June 2023

Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. has received an order from Vecco Group Pty Ltd. (Vecco), an integrated mining business in Australia, for a vanadium redox flow battery system (capacity: 250 kW / 750kWh).
This order marks the first Sumitomo Electric vanadium redox flow battery system installation in Australia.
The system will be deliverd through Vecco, and used as a trial project for Energex, part of Energy Queensland Limited (EQL), the Queensland Government-owned Corporation. The trial is assessing the medium-duration storage system for deployment in its power distribution network. Through this project, Sumitomo Electric will build a cooperative framework with local companies and accelerate the vanadium redox flow battery business in the Australian market.

The Queensland State has set a goal of increasing the renewable energy penertration from the current 20% to 80% by 2035. To achieve this goal, EQL plans to install numerous batteries in its power distribution network to enable the required increase in renewable generation to be supported. Sumitomo Electric's vanadium redox flow battery system may play a large part in EQL's power distribution network allowing rooftop solar generation to be used into the night by Queenslanders.

Sumitomo Electric has received an order from Vecco for the vanadium redox flow battery system for the following applications.

■ Overview of the Demonstration

Sumitomo Electric has to date installed vanadium redox flow batteries with a total connected output of 47 MW and a total storage capacity of 162 MWh in Japan and abroad. Utilizing the technology and experience accumulated, Sumitomo Electric is committed to conducting this demonstration project with the aim of providing a stable supply of electric power by using the vanadium redox flow battery system, which features a long life and high level of safety. Through this demonstration project, the Company will also build a cooperative framework with local companies and promote the Vanadium redox flow battery business in the Australian market, where the introduction of renewable energy is accelerating.

■ Features of Sumitomo Electric's vanadium redox flow battery system
Sumitomo Electric's vanadium redox flow battery system is a storage battery system that uses the redox reaction of metal ions in the electrolyte to charge and discharge, and has the following features including long life and high safety.


(1) Long life
In principle, the number of charge-discharge cycles is not a factor in degradation, and therefore the system has a durability (design life) of more than 20 years. In addition, the electrolyte does not deteriorate and can be reused semi-permanently.


(2) High safety
It can be operated at normal ambient temperature (without air conditioning) and is made of noncombustible and flame-retardant materials, making it extremely safe with little risk of fire. In addition, since the state of charge can be accurately monitored, stable continuous operation over a long period of time is possible regardless of charging/discharging patterns.

(3) Flexible design and operation
The number of cell stacks determines the output (kW) and the amount of electrolyte determines the discharge time capacity (kWh) separately, allowing for flexible system design and operation with independent output and discharge time capacity.

In addition, from 2016 to 2021, the Company was involved in a demonstration operation of the largest energy storage system in the U.S. using its vanadium redox flow battery system in the power distribution network of San Diego Gas and Electric, a major electric power company in the U.S., to verify the economic feasibility for multi-purpose use.

Based on its past achievements in Japan and overseas, Sumitomo Electric will continue to work toward stable power supply with its long-life and highly safe vanadium redox flow battery system in this demonstration.


■ Reference
Sumitomo Electric Group Future Building Magazine "id" Vol.19
Redox Flow Battery" Mission to Support Renewable Energy
https://sumitomoelectric.com/jp/id/project/v19/01



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