Ann: Tivan and Larrakia agree strategic partnership at Middle Arm, page-7

The plant – estimated to cost up to $100 million – is an early step in realising Tivan’s ambitions to make vanadium redox flow batteries at Middle Arm using vanadium from a large deposit at Speewah in northern Western Australia. Tivan plans to fast-track the mine’s development to make vanadium electrolyte as part of a plan to build a full battery value chain across northern Australia.

The deal confirms traditional owners’ groups are still open for business on renewable energy projects despite their bitter disappointment with the resounding vote against the Voice to parliament on October 14. Two weeks ago, the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation signed an agreement with Rio Tinto to develop a solar farm near Karratha.

The non-binding deal could help tip the controversial Middle Arm Sustainable Development Precinct towards renewable energy developments and away from large gas projects such as the Beetaloo shale project favoured by the Albanese and Northern Territory governments.

The precinct has received a $1.5 billion federal grant and faces a Senate inquiry – submissions to which close on Tuesday – amid confusion over whether its purpose is to expand the gas industry or the originally stated purpose of developing clean energy industries.

The Northern Territory in June named Beetaloo developer Tamboran Resources, hydrogen developers Fortescue Future Industries and Total Eren, and Tivan and lithium phosphate battery hopeful Avenira as strategic partners in the precinct.

Tivan’s letter of intent with Larrakia Development Corporation envisages a power purchase agreement for up to 30 megawatts and a 300-megawatt solar farm being developed by the corporation’s energy arm with a South Korean partner on Larrakia land near Bladin Point, where Japanese giant Inpex operates a gas processing plant.

It is the second power purchase deal signed by Tivan this year – in April it signed a letter of intent with the developer of the giant Sun Cable solar and battery project in the NT – as it puts in place the building blocks to process vanadium into electrolyte at Middle Arm and eventually make vanadium redox flow batteries at the proposed industrial site.

Tivan said the proposed plant would make enough vanadium electrolyte to produce batteries capable of storing 500 megawatt hours of energy and discharging for up to 12 hours.

Long-duration storage is critical for the struggling clean energy transition because alternative technologies – such as pumped hydro storage – are taking more capital and time to complete, leaving the power grid prone to blackouts as coal power stations close.

The $108 million minnow argues that VRFB batteries’ simple chemistry compared with the complex lithium-ion batteries that dominate the storage market today will enable the entire value chain to be developed in Australia.

It says this will help further the government’s goal of reducing reliance on China – which dominates the supply of vanadium and processed lithium hydroxide – to protect sovereignty and energy security.