VRB Energy Achieves Milestone Global Safety Certification for its Third Generation Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (“VRB-ESS®”)
VRB-ESS® Utilize a Vanadium Electrolyte that Can Be Charged and Discharged Over an Almost Unlimited Number of Cycles
VRB-ESS® Energy Storage Capabilities are Ideal for Daily Cycling Required to Support Utility Substations, Large Commercial and Industrial Sites and for Integrating Solar, Wind and Microgrid Facilities
VRB Energy Currently has Over 500 MWh of Energy Storage Capacity Installed or in Development
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – VRB Energy Chairman, Robert Friedland and Chief Executive Officer, Charles Ge are pleased to announce that after months of rigorous testing VRB Energy, Inc. (“VRB Energy”) has obtained Underwriters Laboratories (“UL”) 1973 certification for its Third Generation Energy Storage System (“Gen3 VRB-ESS®”). UL 1973 is recognized as a global standard for commercially available battery energy storage.
This milestone third-party certification provides validation that the Gen3 VRB-ESS® product is a viable solution for utility-scale energy storage of renewable power.
The UL 1973 certification paves the way for VRB Energy and the Gen3 VRB-ESS® to meet the growing demand for large-scale energy storage as part of the energy transition.
Mr. Friedland commented: “Countries around the world are committed to net-zero carbon solutions, which will require vast capital investment over the next 25 years in energy storage. Meeting global carbon dioxide emission reduction goals will require large-scale, safe and cost-effective energy storage solutions to store the power generated from renewables for use when the wind is not blowing or the sun is not shining. Achieving this globally recognized safety certification for VRB Energy’s new generation of vanadium redox flow batteries validates the technology as a safe and reliable component of the global energy transition.”
Charles Ge commented: “I am proud of our engineering team and the commitment of the entire company to safety and quality. We adhere to the highest international standards and are committed to delivering the most reliable commercial product in the grid-scale energy storage market.”
The Gen3 VRB-ESS® is the Only System Currently Available that is Certified to the UL 1973 Standard for a 1MW Power Module
VRB Energy’s current generation of its utility scale energy storage systems, the Gen3 VRB-ESS®, is based on a 60 kilowatt (“kW”) cell stack and a 1 megawatt (“MW”) power module building block. This is the largest cell stack and the largest and most efficient commercial product in the industry.
CSA Group (formerly known as Canadian Standards Association) is a global organization dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability, and a leader in testing, inspection and certification. CSA Group successfully completed a series of safety tests under UL 1973:2018 for the 60 kW nominal (75 kW maximum) power cell stacks. Testing included material, vibration, high temperature, physical drop, and short circuit tests.
More rigorous tests of the full 1 MW Gen3 system included over-charge, over-discharge, short circuit, voltage limit, ground fault, and high temperature tests, as well as functional safety tests based on International Organization for Standardization (“ISO”) 13849-1 2015 and ISO 13849-2 2012 standards.
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries are Superior to Lithium-Ion Batteries for Grid Scale Energy Storage
VRB Energy’s core technology uses vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) in a proprietary formulation of a water-based battery electrolyte. The vanadium electrolyte in VRB-ESS® can be charged and discharged over an almost unlimited number of cycles without wearing out. This means that vanadium flow batteries have distinct and inherent advantages for long-duration and long-life applications, which means they are the ideal solution for large-scale integration of solar and wind power onto utility grids around the world.
Vanadium flow batteries have significant advantages over lithium batteries for the daily deep-cycling needs of solar and wind power. VRB-ESS® have lower degradation, full depth of discharge and lower replacement costs compared to lithium batteries that results in a lower levelized cost of energy (“LCOE”), which is an industry measure for total cost of ownership.
In addition, VRB Energy’s proprietary electrolyte formula used in VRB-ESS® contains no heavy metals and the liquid electrolyte is non-flammable and 100% reusable, making VRB-ESS® fundamentally safer and superior to lithium-ion batteries for grid scale energy storage.
Figure 1. Gen3 VRB-ESS® stores water-based vanadium electrolyte in large external tanks (a positive tank and a negative tank per power module). The electrolyte is circulated through cell stacks that charge or discharge the energy from the system in a nearly infinitely repeatable process that is safe and reliable.
Figure 2. VRB-ESS® cell stacks.
Figure 3. VRB-ESS® tanks.
About VRB Energy
VRB Energy is engaged in the design, manufacture, installation, and operation of large-scale energy storage systems using vanadium redox batteries, VRB-ESS®. Vanadium redox batteries are a type of rechargeable flow battery that employ vanadium ions as the charge carriers. We believe they are safe, scalable and have the lowest lifecycle cost of energy compared to other types of batteries, making them ideal for grid-scale energy storage. VRB Energy’s goal is to deliver the best technology at the lowest cost to large-scale utility energy storage projects globally. VRB Energy has over 500 MWh of energy storage capacity installed or in development, and has completed over one million hours of testing and operation. Ongoing research and development and project experience have allowed VRB Energy to produce larger, more cost-effective and more efficient systems in each successive battery generation. VRB Energy is 90%-owned by Ivanhoe Electric (NYSE: IE; TSX: IE). Websites: www.vrbenergy.com and www.ivanhoeelectric.com.
Contact Information
Corporate: Jim Stover, jim.stover@vrbenergy.com, +1 604 648 3900