The Western Australia Government is seeking partners for its planned vanadium battery installation at Kalgoorlie.
The vanadium battery energy storage system is a part of the state government’s Made in WA plan to diversify the economy.
Also known as a VBESS, the battery will be the largest of its kind in Australia and will support the development of a new local supply chain around vanadium mining. It will also enable WA to become a renewable energy powerhouse and has the potential to help grow the advanced manufacturing industry.
The project will involve the installation of a 50-megawatt/500 megawatt-hour, WA-made vanadium flow battery using locally sourced and processed vanadium, and capable of discharging for up to 10 hours at a time. It will be supported by $150 million in government funding.
The first part of a two-stage expression of interest period is now open and runs until January 30 2026. This will help project leaders to identify and understand existing capabilities in the market. The second stage of the process will be held in early-to-mid 2026, and will evaluate detailed business cases from potential project partners.
WA Energy and Decarbonisation Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said the ball was now rolling on a major project to boost power reliability in the Goldfields.
“A locally made and sourced vanadium flow battery will create jobs during construction, deliver improved energy resilience for the region and complement other planned upgrades in the Goldfields region,” she said.
“Long-duration storage projects like this will play a bigger role as we build a more resilient energy system for the future.”
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