So, despite Ianwil's baseless accusation the other day that the boys and girls at AVL/Vsun had gone for a long lunch and not delivered the Kununurra battery to Horizon (State utility provider), the battery is currently going well.
https://vsunenergy.com.au/news/horizon-powers-up-vanadium-battery-tech-trial-in-kununurra/The next big battery is in Kalgoorlie, with the State government contributing $150m (note a 500MWh vanadium battery likely costs hunders of millions so this project is much larger than it first appears).
The market has completed missed the scale ($250m+) and likelihood of AVL winning the contract (99%) here.The project will be a public tender, but if you read through the lines of the below it can really only be AVL.
https://www.rogercook.com.au/media/australian-first-battery-project-to-reinforce-kalgoorlie-s-energy-system"Western Australia has one of the world’s largest vanadium deposits being developed
south of Meekatharra, with local vanadium
supply expected by 2027."
"The 50MW, 10-hour
battery is planned to be operational in 2029 and will be located near existing transmission infrastructure, with the final location to be determined in consultation with industry."
Quotes attributable to Roger Cook, WA Premier
“In addition to the 150 local jobs created during construction, I want to work with industry to
develop a local vanadium battery manufacturing industry here in Kalgoorlie to support more local jobs"
"I want this project to be a catalyst to drive a new vanadium mining, processing and export industry for WA - to make more things here, diversify the economy and create the jobs of the future.”
There is a requirement for the vanadium and electrolyte to be locally sourced and processed. This essentially leaves 2 players:
1. AVL. Runs on the board via Horizon battery and only 2 missing parts to the FID puzzle (Tenindewa rezoning and Yarrabubba EPA).
2. Ken Brisden's AVESS energy, who are a VFB R&D company awaiting further funding of $5m, to pair up with Windimurra (mothballed Vanadium mine for 20+years) or another WA developer at pre-feasibility stage. There is simply no chance of a functioning battery in 2029 from any teaming under this arrangement.
AVL constructed a 33MWh electrolyte facility in around 4 months for $7m in Wangarra, Perth. This project is 500MWh so needs a much larger facility to be constructed, with Roger Cook and Reece Whitby (Resources and Local Manufacturing) stating that they are looking at further supporting a vanadium battery manufacturing industry in Kalgoorlie (less dig and ship, more local content). Kalgoorlie and surrounds has good rail and port access to the rest of the country.
Graham (AVL CEO) and Roger Cook.
(20min delay)