Western Australia’s Cook Labor Government is trialling a vanadium flow battery in Kununurra as part of its commitment to cleaner, reliable, and affordable power for regional areas.
The long-duration battery, designed to operate in harsh Kimberley conditions, is expected to enhance energy storage capacity and support the state’s decarbonisation efforts.
The battery features a 78-kilowatt capacity and 220 kilowatt-hours of storage.
Its vanadium flow technology is ideal for temperature resilience and prolonged energy delivery, making it suitable for remote areas.
WA’s Energy Minister Reece Whitby highlighted the initiative’s broader impact on WA’s energy transition.
“This pilot won’t just mean there is more clean, reliable, and affordable power for regional WA – it means Horizon Power can better understand how batteries can support microgrids and other off-grid power systems throughout the State,” he said.
“We want to see households benefit from the energy transition.
“That’s why we will continue to support rooftop solar uptake while investing in an energy mix that combines large-scale storage and onshore wind with gas as required.”
Battery storage already plays a vital role in Western Australia’s energy mix.
Large-scale systems in Kwinana and Collie absorb surplus rooftop solar power during the day, redistributing it at night to meet peak demand.
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