According to today’s press release, Imergy Power Systems already has over two hundred flow battery installations worldwide. Hawaii Energy Research Systems has filed for the first US contracts using Imergy Power Systems recovered-vanadium flow batteries.
Imergy Power Systems’ flow battery energy storage system, like all flow batteries, uses tanks of electrolytes to store energy. Since space and weight are minor concerns for stationary applications, flow batteries can easily scale to hold whatever capacity is necessary, simply adding more electrolyte tanks. For example, intermittent renewable energy sources, such as solar power or wind power, can store excess energy for when supply is insufficient for demand.
What makes Imergy electrolytes special is that it uses, recovered vanadium from mining and manufacturing operations. Recovering vanadium has proven to be far cheaper than other materials, reducing flow battery costs, and also removes a dangerous pollutant from soil and groundwater supplies. Current flow battery designs and formulations are upwards of $500/kWh, but Imergy expects to push that lower than $300/kWh.
The first US contracts have been signed, in Hawaii, for Imergy Power Systems’ ESP5 flow battery system. Hawaii has proven to be a national leader in clean energy technology, building a clean power grid for the 21st Century. The ESP5 unit itself can deliver up to 5 kW, and can store up to 30 kWh of energy. Two residential customers will be using the ESP5 to back up off-grid solar power installations. A microgrid customer will be using the ESP5 to develop an off-grid microgrid, including energy storage and hydrogen fuel production. Finally, a technical school science center, will be using the ESP5 to evaluate taking the entire campus off-grid.
“As these customers demonstrate, the combination of solar power systems and Imergy vanadium flow batteries are a cost effective solution for areas with high electricity prices or limited grid capabilities,” said Dr. Herve Mazzocco, Director of Business Development for Imergy Power Systems. “From residential island homes to advanced energy technology power testing facilities, more and more customers around the world are choosing to install Imergy vanadium flow batteries.”
