Release
Expanded zinc-bromine battery factory opening
_ RedFlow’s zinc-bromine battery factory becomes largest in the Southern
Hemisphere
_ Production ramps up at Seventeen Mile Rocks site, opened today by Treasurer
Fraser
_ Expansion targets Australia’s rising peak electricity demand and helps makes
storage of large scale solar generation a reality
Brisbane-born company RedFlow is to triple production of its power storage systems, helping electricity utilities better handle peak energy demand and fight rising electricity prices. Already acknowledged as an international leader in electricity storage technology, the expansion of its Seventeen Mile Rocks factory site marks a significant milestone for the company and its energy systems.
RedFlow CEO Phil Hutchings explains:
“When it comes to coping with increased electricity demand, the country is at a crossroads. The first option is to spend large amounts of money continually upgrading substations, transformers, poles and wires. The second – our solution – is to design systems which can store and then release energy during the evening peaks, whether that electricity is generated by local solar panels or by traditional power sources.”
“Electricity utilities around the world are struggling with the high capital investment needed to meet our increasingly power-hungry homes, which is why the ‘smart grid’ is needed: a major modernization of our ageing electricity infrastructure. Quite simply, RedFlow’s storage technology provides the plumbing for the smart grid.”
RedFlow’s expansion comes at a critical time. As peak energy demand rises within the State, the Queensland Government is estimating that utilities will spend approximately $15.6 billion on network infrastructure and upgrades by 2015. All eyes are on alternative solutions which could reduce the cost burden for both distributors and consumers.
In response, RedFlow has doubled its staff in the past 18 months, aiming at an addressable global market estimated at over $5 billion a year. Australia and New Zealand remain a primary target for RedFlow but it is also now fielding requests from the US, UK, India, Malaysia and South Africa. The company’s foundation customers include EnergyAustralia, Ergon Energy and New Zealand’s Powerco: early adopters who are also providing valuable guidance in developing the next generation of RedFlow products.
Phil Hutchings added:
“Our dealings with our utility customers in this part of the world and in the USA show that they share our vision – that large-scale energy storage offers part of the solution to rising electricity distribution costs. RedFlow’s zinc-bromine batteries represent a paradigm change in cost and performance compared with conventional lead-acid batteries, and what’s exciting about this technology is that it’s both scalable and sustainable. We deliberately started off small, so that reliability, performance and life can be tested and improvements adopted quickly. Making the batteries modular means they could be packaged up in bulk and we designed them to cost effectively store both conventional and solar energy, differentiating us from the rest of the market.
“We are honored that the Treasurer has made time to celebrate our story so far, particularly as the Queensland Government played such a pivotal role in our early history. Already our supply chain includes many other companies across Australia and our engineering team is recognized as world-leading. We’re excited about the future and proud of our accomplishments to date – we think there are bright prospects ahead.”
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