Battery developers secure Idaho contract
Flathead Valley energy storage firm ViZn Energy Systems Inc. has announced a new contract order with Idaho National Laboratory, one of several laboratories affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy.
The contract is for a 128 kW/320 kWh redox flow battery system, which uses zinc-iron chemistry capable of large-scale and long-duration operations. The flow battery system will be installed for microgrid research, development and demonstration testing at the Idaho National Laboratory.
“It’s a big deal,” ViZn President and CEO Ron Van Dell said. “Idaho National Laboratories is viewed as having tremendous experience and expertise in microgrid technology.”
Van Dell said Idaho National Labs has played a vital role in devising ways to power nuclear aircraft carriers. Next on its plate will be channeling that expertise toward terrestrial-type applications, both military and commercial, he said.
Idaho Labs has spent nearly 20 years working with different battery systems and accumulating knowledge on battery capabilities, Van Dell said.
“We’re real flattered and excited to be working with that kind of organization going forward with their program,” Van Dell said.
Van Dell said he expects ViZn to stay involved in the project as an engineering-to-engineering collaboration. While Idaho National Labs will work on the overall microgrid system, ViZn will collect data on the battery level of the project to continue the development of its own system.
These ViZn battery systems are produced on a built-to-order basis. The last major order was for a utility-scale project that requires a different set of capabilities than the microgrid project.
“It shows the versatility of our platform,” Van Dell said. “It really is the Swiss Army Knife of batteries.”
ViZn claims its zinc-iron redox flow battery is the only flow battery, or rechargeable battery, in the market with a nontoxic, nonflammable and nonexplosive alkaline chemistry.
“The characteristics of the ViZn battery are of significant interest for island grids and microgrids that support various services in heavy-use and challenging environments, especially for renewable energy integration challenges,” said Kurt Myers, the Clean Energy Market Area lead for Idaho National Labs. “We are interested in the potential for lower-cost energy storage systems, with 20-plus year lifetimes and the ability to fulfill aggressive duty cycle requirements as well as long-duration energy dispatch.”
Van Dell said ViZn is planning to make “a steady stream of announcements” over the coming months of more orders and further production increases, not just in North America but around the globe.
ViZn currently operates in two locations, its Montana facility on U.S. 2 near Columbia Falls and a second facility in Austin, Texas. Van Dell said ViZn will expand the Montana facility in stages over the coming year.
Reporter Seaborn Larson may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at slarson@dailyinterlake.com.