Comment from BMN on Twitter. Now deleted!
attps://twitter.com/BushveldMin_Ltd/. status/1627686667900407810?
=NabvdkMXQliaxEWdhWQH0Q&s=35
Twitter
Bushveld Energy has started commissioning SA's first vanadium electrolyte factory and hopes to produce about 1 million litres of vanadium electrolyte this year. #vanadium.
Interesting, that he uses the word “assemble” rather than ‘manufacture’. It possibly makes more sense to import the parts from the worlds established manufacturers, due to African supply chain difficulties — and assemble them locally. Probably far cheaper to fund annd easier and quicker to construct an assembly facility as opposed to a fully fledged manufacturing complex too!
Business LIVE.
• COMPANIES / ENERGY
19 FEBRUARY 2023
Recent regulatory changes will see commercial and industrial demand for batteries in SA take off, says Bushveld Energy CEO Mikhail Nikomarov
Bushveld Energy will soon start producing vanadium battery electrolyte at its new facility in East London. The company's CEO Mikhail Nikomarov said this was an important step in the company's long-term goal to assemble battery systems locally.
Nikomarov, who is also chair of the SA Energy Storage Association, said recent regulatory changes will see the commercial and industrial demand for batteries in SA take off,
says Bushveld Energy CEO Mikhail Nikomarov
It was also reported that there are plans in motion to invest in the green economy. The Thezi Langa Independent Power Producer development programme was awaiting National Treasury approval.
Other development projects are the Berlin Green Hub, which is part of the ELIDZ, and is expected to manufacture photovoltaic, solar panel production for all government buildings and RDP houses;
Energy Storage Systems (Bushveld Energy and Platinum Fuel Cells) including Vanadium Redox Flow Battery manufacturing plant in the ELIDZ; the ELIDZ Wind Farm which is a 100 percent locally designed wind turbine that was designed by a company which now requires to take this innovation to production;
The ELIDZ is a State Owned Corporation set up by the South African government through the South African Industrial Development Zones Programme (now the South African Special Economic Zones Programme) to develop, operate and maintain modern infrastructure and to attract strategic investments for the region.
East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ)
The ELIDZ is owned by provincial government (Department of Economic Development Environmental Affairs and Tourism) and the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality.
It is funded by the Department of Trade and Industry (SEZ Fund – Capital Projects) and the Department of Economic Development Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
https://www.elidz.co.za/
Link to CellCubes manufacturing plans in Oz.
https://etn.news/index.php?option=com_easyblog&view=entry&id=2930&Itemid=562&Itemid=562
@ Setcentric, very interesting indeed. We know BMN carried out a feasibility study with requests for interests sent to all the well known established battery manufacturers for the establishment of battery manufacturing in S.A.
CellCube was one of those they included in a list which they said was a non-inclusive list and open to all interested parties. I believe the close date for those expressions of interest was around 12 months ago, but I don’t believe we have ever heard what the results were.
We also know that CellCube are involved in potentially starting manufacturing in Australia.
https://www.energy-storage.news/cellcube-in-8mwh-flow-battery-pilot-to-target-australias-ci-market-prospects/
This may or may not be a reference to CellCube, but if so, whose gonna fund it all!?
But in any event, this certainly could well be a move that’s related to those BMN’s feasibility requests and long stated plans to set up battery manufacturing in S.A. Which logically, does seem to to be the next step to follow in becoming fully vertically integrated!
@cindercone, If it is affected by LS —- it may not be a problem for very long.
Rationale and Benefits
• Two 1-MW battery storage systems will increase the quality and reliability of electricity for the ELIDZ estate services.
• Two 1-MW battery storage systems with 4-hour stand-by time each with a 75% efficiency (3 hours), could supply 6 megawatt-hours (MWh) per day.
• ELIDZ estate services uses 4-5 MWh per day.
• Peak shaving can lead to savings of R2.6 million per year.
• Likelihood of implementation of a 1.8 MW wind farm is very high, because the ELIDZ is already engaging with a potential investor.
• If funding is secured, installations could start by end 2023.
There is also a battery manufacturer of redox flow technology setting up in the ELIDZ, so it may be possible to source this product locally in the future!!!!
https://www.industrialefficiency.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Rhonda-Jansen-van-Rensburg-Pre-feasibility-studies-done-as-part-of-the-GEIPP.pdf
USV are contracted to supply 580,000 litres for the 8mw.h Chicago battery.
‘For the batteries at this facility, Enerox entered into an agreement to acquire 580,000 liters of high-purity electrolyte from US Vanadium, believed to be one of the largest such purchases from a vanadium electrolyte producer outside China’
And then there is this:
The electrolyte and other high-purity vanadium-based products produced at US Vanadium's Arkansas facility are recovered from a variety of post-industrial waste streams. This means the electrolyte it produces has a much smaller carbon footprint than if it were generated from primary vanadium mining operations, a climate advantage that would be passed on to the renewable energy projects that utilize the electrolyte in their storage systems, according to the company.
US Vanadium is currently producing electrolyte for an 8MWh VRFB microgrid system operated by Austria-based Enerox GmbH. This renewable energy storage will utilize Enerox' CellCube long-duration vanadium flow batteries and a flywheel to store energy generated by rooftop solar at an industrial manufacturing site near Chicago, Illinois.
For the batteries at this facility, Enerox entered into an agreement to acquire 580,000 liters of high-purity electrolyte from US Vanadium, believed to be one of the largest such purchases from a vanadium electrolyte producer outside China.
https://www.metaltechnews.com/story/2022/02/02/tech-metals/us-vanadium-electrolyte-plant-complete/839.html
Maybe CellCube have won new USA orders that go beyond the capabilities of that USV contract to supply them with electrolyte!!!
Yep, there is no doubt, that’s what it sez, but ever so strange Ben. As of 2021 India didn’t have a Vanadium mine, probably still hasn’t, let alone electrolyte manufacturing facilities that could export in bulk to other countries.
India has been an active consumer of vanadium but this is for the first time vanadium would be produced in the country.
China which has been a source full of vanadium consisting of the highest reserves of the element till now will face not be the source now India has to rely on for its demand of vanadium.
In India currently, it is recovered as a by-product of **** from processed vanadiferous magnetite ores.
As per GSI, India’s consumption of vanadium is 4% of the global demand which can now be fulfilled through its indigenous source.
The highest production of vanadium is in China, followed by Russia and South Africa.
https://www.jagranjosh.com/general-knowledge/vanadium-found-in-arunachal-pradesh-how-is-this-significant-for-india-and-what-are-its-uses-1610613657-1
She’s a long standing Largo lover, it’d be interesting to know what she thinks about the President and Chief Executive Officer leaving today - with immediate effect.
Maybe Largo could become one of the other suppliers of feed stock for our new electrolyte factory? :)