Australian Flow Batteries

Accelerating clean energy innovation at AARP. Australian Flow Batteries (AFB) is a pioneering clean energy company specialising in mobile, rapidly deployable hybrid power solutions that combine solar arrays with Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs). Its innovative system integrates retractable solar arrays with long-duration energy storage to provide reliable, sustainable power for remote operations.

The company is partnering with NTRO and DevelopmentWA at the AARP to demonstrate its Hybrid Diesel Replacement System in a location accessible from Perth. This system significantly reduces diesel dependency in remote and commercial locations while ensuring consistent power supply for critical operations. The solution is particularly valuable for remote communities, defence operations, disaster response and industrial applications.

AFB’s containerised solution offers unique advantages, including rapid deployment, mobility and the ability to withstand harsh conditions. The technology, originally developed at the University of New South Wales in the 1980s, has seen widespread adoption internationally, particularly in China, Asia, Russia, Europe and the USA. AFB is at the forefront of introducing this proven technology to the Australian market, where its characteristics are ideally suited to the challenging environmental conditions and remote power requirements.

The challenge

AFB sought to address a major industry challenge — reducing reliance on diesel fuel in remote and off-grid locations. This challenge is particularly acute in Australia, where remote operations often depend entirely on diesel generators for power, resulting in high operational costs and significant carbon emissions.

Prior to using the AARP’s testing facilities, AFB’s Bibra Lake headquarters posed a considerable obstacle due to limited outdoor space, which restricted large-scale system deployment, especially given the extensive area needed for a 123m solar PV array and the infrastructure to house containerised VRFBs and supporting systems. This setup requires a real-world, outdoor environment to simulate conditions typical of remote sites, where temperature extremes, dust, and security challenges need to be addressed.

AFB faced several critical challenges in its product validation program. First was the need to demonstrate system reliability under variable industrial loads. Second came the requirement to test rapid deployment and retraction capabilities on uneven terrain. Third was proving integration capabilities with existing diesel infrastructure. Finally, the company needed to verify the system’s ability to handle sudden load changes.

The 24/7 operational requirements of remote and critical infrastructure meant that any new power solution needed to demonstrate unwavering reliability before deployment. Traditional trials at actual operational sites was problematic due to high costs and logistics challenges, restricted access for potential clients to view demonstrations, and weather dependencies affecting testing schedules. Additionally, the complexity of securing permissions and managing safety requirements at active operational sites made comprehensive testing near impossible in real-world settings.

The solution

AFB is utilising the AARP’s comprehensive testing facilities, particularly the Flex Zone Test Bed and Laydown Lots, to validate its Hybrid Diesel Replacement System under real-world conditions. The strategy involved a phased approach that allowed for thorough assessment while maintaining the flexibility to modify and improve systems based on performance data.

The initial setup and baseline phase began with commissioning the VRFB in an outdoor, exposed environment safely and efficiently. This included electrical cable management, monitoring the retractable solar array mechanism under various weather conditions, and studying the impact of environmental conditions on energy production and storage. The team developed specific protocols for managing dust intrusion and temperature variations, crucial factors in remote deployment scenarios.

For operational testing and optimisation, the team focused on packing up and redeploying the system, conducting 24-hour operational cycles, validating the Advanced Energy Management System’s performance, verifying battery performance and charging cycles, and supplying power to the NTRO site. This phase included rigorous testing of the system’s response to varying load demands and environmental conditions, simulating real-world usage scenarios.

The customer demonstration phase involved utilising the AARP’s demonstration facilities to showcase the system through live deployment demonstrations, real-time monitoring and control demonstrations, hands-on training sessions, and demonstrations of weather protection features. The AARP’s secure yet accessible location proved invaluable for bringing potential clients to view the system in operation, something that had been challenging at previous testing locations.

Results

The demonstration program at AARP, combined with operational data from existing installations, is demonstrating compelling technical and economic benefits that validate the system’s potential for widespread deployment in remote operations.

In terms of technical performance, the system supplied 63% of total power needs from renewable sources during 24-hour operation in low sun conditions and met up to 82% of power requirements through renewable energy during periods of high variable loads. The team also validated the solar array deployment time of 4-5 hours. These results exceeded initial performance targets and demonstrated the system’s capability to maintain reliable power supply under challenging conditions.

The economic impact has been significant. Long-term cost analysis shows the HDR system’s electricity costs are approximately 25% of traditional diesel generation over a 10-year period. The system has demonstrated potential daily diesel savings of 143 litres per unit, with typical CO2 reductions of 386 kg per day observed in similar installations. These findings indicate substantial potential for both cost savings and environmental benefits in remote operations.

Through testing, the team has made several system innovations. These include identifying and resolving deployment challenges on uneven surfaces, developing improved dust protection measures, creating new protocols for rapid array retraction, optimising battery management systems for varying load profiles, and enhancing integration protocols with existing infrastructure. Each of these improvements has contributed to a more robust and reliable system, capable of meeting the demanding requirements of remote operations.

“The AARP facility has been transformational for our technology validation process. Having access to a dedicated testing environment that replicates real-world conditions, without the constraints and risks of testing at active operational sites, has accelerated our development timeline significantly.

“The ability to bring potential clients to the site and demonstrate our system’s capabilities in a safe, yet realistic environment has been invaluable. We’ve seen a marked increase in client confidence when they can witness firsthand how our system performs under real-world conditions.

“The unexpected insights we gained from the comprehensive testing program have helped us refine our technology in ways that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. The AARP has proven to be more than just a testing facility – it’s become an integral part of our innovation process.” – Shane Meotti – Managing Director, Australian Flow Batteries.