Australia’s energy sector is evolving rapidly, and in just two weeks, Energy Exchange Australia, formerly AOG Energy, will bring together industry leaders to drive meaningful discussions and innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Speaking as part of the Future Tech and Innovation Forum, AVESS Energy Chief Commercial Officer, Toby Foster will explore how vanadium redox flow batteries (VFBs) are shaping the energy transition, enabling renewable integration, and accelerating progress toward net zero by 2050.
Energy storage is revolutionising the way we generate, store, and consume power, and VFBs are emerging as a key technology in this transformation. AVESS Energy is excited to discuss the potential of the Australian energy storage market and the role of zero-carbon VFBs in building a more reliable and efficient grid.
The shifting energy storage landscape
As renewables reshape the energy landscape, Australia’s wholesale market is undergoing a profound shift. Solar generation during low-demand daylight hours has driven energy prices down, creating both challenges and opportunities. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are emerging as a critical solution, balancing supply and demand with greater flexibility.
Initially focused on short-duration Frequency Control Ancillary Services (FCAS), Australia’s BESS are now capitalising on longer-duration arbitrage, storing abundant daytime solar energy for discharge during peak evening demand. This shift has created new opportunities to store excess solar energy during the day and discharge it during peak nighttime demand.
With coal-fired power set to phase out in the 2030s, the growing share of renewables presents challenges for grid stability and exposes inefficiencies in pricing structures. Fossil fuel generators are struggling to compete with renewables under rigid cost models, highlighting the urgent need for longer-duration energy storage (LDES) solutions.
LDES will be essential to absorbing surplus renewable energy and ensuring a stable, resilient grid. As a result, new BESS projects are being designed with four to eight-hour storage capabilities, marking a pivotal step in Australia’s transition to a cleaner, more flexible energy future.
Diversifying energy storage: The need for alternatives to Lithium
Lithium-ion batteries, particularly Lithium Iron Phosphate, currently dominate Australia’s Battery Energy Storage System market, driven by cost reductions, improved availability, and enhanced safety. While LFP systems can be scaled beyond two-hour durations, doing so introduces challenges, decoupling power and energy, managing balance of plant requirements, mitigating short-circuit currents, and addressing land constraints for large-scale deployment.
End-of-life management remains a critical issue. While battery life cycles can be optimised, Australia still lacks a fully localised Li-ion recycling industry, raising concerns about long-term sustainability.
Relying on a single battery chemistry also presents energy security risks. Lithium, like other critical minerals, is subject to geopolitical complexities, with China controlling 70–80 per cent of the supply chain. To reduce reliance and build resilience, Australia must accelerate the development of diverse energy storage technologies, ensuring a more secure and sustainable transition to a renewable-powered future.
Vanadium flow batteries: unlocking long-duration energy storage
Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VFBs) are emerging as a game-changer in energy storage, with their proof of concept first validated in 1984 by UNSW Emeritus Professor Maria Skyllas-Kazakos.
These liquid-state batteries use vanadium ions across different oxidation states to store energy. With vanadium electrolytes stored in separate tanks and circulated through a membranous cell stack, VFBs provide a unique and efficient energy storage solution.
The stack is the core of VFB technology and has reached technological maturity on a global scale. AVESS Energy is committed to reshoring our proprietary stack technology for the benefit of the Australian market.
While VFBs have a lower energy density than lithium iron phosphate batteries, they offer significant advantages, including 10+ hour discharge durations, full recyclability, and superior safety. Additionally, VFBs can be scaled vertically, making them highly efficient for land-constrained projects, with energy densities nearing those of Li-ion.
As Energy Exchange Australia approaches, it’s clear that VFBs will play a pivotal role in ensuring a stable, reliable, and efficient renewable energy future for Australia.
AVESS’s Toby Foster will speak at Energy Exchange Australia’s Future Tech and Innovation Forum on Wednesday, 12 March 2025, at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre. Whether you’re looking to stay ahead of industry developments, connect with key players, or take part in discussions that will define the next decade, Energy Exchange Australia is the place to be.
Register now.
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