… And also last week global energy multinational Engie rang...

… And also last week global energy multinational Engie rang bells on the opening (27/03/24) of  a 0.8 MWh Invinity VS3 battery collocated with a 0.6 MWp solar array fromJan de Nul, managed and maintained by major European maintenance company, Equans BeLu

”Invinity’s batteries will be used to maximise the use of solar power at the site by storing excess generation during the day for use in the evening. The batteries will be controlled by ENGIE’s smart Energy Management System (EMS) as part of the first industrial test of this combination of technologies. The three partners expect the project to advance their understanding of how VFBs can be incorporated into future projects as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.”…​

……“As pioneers in the energy transition, we look beyond the well-known Lithium-Ion battery and we dare to choose innovation. Currently, there are still very few examples in Europe of large-scale projects with Redox Flow batteries. This pilot project puts Belgium in the spotlight as a frontrunner in innovation in the energy sector. We want to play a major part in energy storage with the ambition to develop 10GW storage capacity by 2030 worldwide”​

– Vincent Verbeke, Chief Executive Officer, ENGIE Belgium​

Who is  Engie?
[see Wikipedia]

It’s pretty big with its battery installations in Australia ( like this one [opened last June] ) so it’s potentially great for AVL that it’s looking beyond lithium over there in Belgium.

Read the story here https://invinity.com/engie-equans-jan-de-nul-vanadium-flow-battery-belgium/
….It’s full of positive quotes, and as yoy  can see, there were plenty of hands on deck ready to push the start button on this significant pilot, including Belgium’s energy minister;


To put it into ‘does size matter’ perspective,  that Belgium 0.8 MWh Invinity VS3 battery is significantly less powerful than the Chinese one that’s now under construction in Yumen (as per the post above) but I think it’s still greater  than 100 times more powerful than the little 78kilowatt hour battery that Horizon booked for its’ pilot trial up in Kununurra.



Image from 18/01/24  opening of AVL”s Wangara Electrolyte Plant

Still it’s a start?
Or will be when they turn it on.

cheers