News, Sustainability

Australian-first vanadium battery project to reinforce WA energy system

The Western Australian Government is set to provide $150 million for a new, Australia-made 50-megawatt vanadium battery in Kalgoorlie to further reinforce the Goldfields’ energy system and create around 150 local jobs.

The battery has the potential to provide 10 hours of back-up electricity storage to provide an additional layer of protection and guard against weather events or other supply disruptions.

“This project will provide further back up, with 10 hours of supply able to be dispersed when it is needed. This will really help if weather events or other disruptions hit the region,” said premier Roger Cook.

“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.”

Western Australia has one of the world’s largest vanadium deposits being developed south of Meekatharra, with local vanadium supply expected by 2027.

The State Government’s investment in this Australian-first project will drive growth in the emerging vanadium industry and stimulate opportunities for downstream processing and exports.

The mineral is expected to play an increasing role in batteries around the world – as it can deliver the kind of long-duration storage needed in systems retiring coal and introducing more renewables.

This includes in WA, as the Cook Labor Government continues its nation-leading work to retire State-owned coal by 2030.

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.

The State Government will also work with the private sector to create opportunities for local battery manufacturing in Kalgoorlie to create additional ongoing local jobs.

This additional system reinforcement will add to the Western Australian Government’s work already underway to replace West Kalgoorlie Power Station by 2026, in addition to its work securing new gas back-up generation from the mining industry in 2024.

More than 85 per cent of the world’s vanadium supply comes from Russia, China, South Africa and Brazil.

Supporting WA’s emerging industry has the potential to create thousands of new mining and local processing jobs, as well as significant export income. The USA, Europe, South Korea and Japan would be potential markets for WA vanadium.

Vanadium offers benefits over conventional lithium batteries, including heat resistance, lifespan, recyclability and no fire risk. It has additional applications in steel production, electronics, fuel cells, superconductors and fertilisers.

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