Gelion wins order for 100MWh non-flowing zinc-bromine battery system

Australia-based Gelion, which focuses on commercializing non-flowing zinc-bromine batteries from the University of Sydney, has signed an agreement to supply hundreds of megawatt-hours of non-flowing power to power projects in Papua New Guinea starting next year. Zinc-bromine battery system.

Gelion said on Wednesday it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Mayur Renewables, a unit of ASX-listed Mayur Resources, to provide an initial 100MWh of energy storage between 2022 and 2027.

Papua New Guinea, a Pacific island nation at the forefront of the impacts of climate change, has a government target of 70% renewables and energy storage supporting electrification by 2030, up from 13% now. Much of its current power generation capacity relies on diesel or heavy fuel oil.

Mayur Renewables is focused on developing large-scale renewable energy projects in Papua New Guinea to support the government's electrification plans and its parent company's plans to become Asia's first net-zero carbon lime and cement producer.

Gelion chief executive Andrew Grimes said the company's heat-resistant Endure batteries were well suited to Papua New Guinea's conditions and the signing of the MoU with Mayur was a "significant milestone" on the company's path to full commercialisation.

Gelion's battery technology uses electrolytic gels that are inherently flame retardant. In a recent test by the company's technical team, the battery didn't catch fire and even continued to work while heating it on a baking sheet at around 700 degrees for half an hour. On a practical level, this means that the Endure battery system can operate at temperatures up to 50°C without an air conditioning system.

Other advantages include battery discharge to zero volts without compromising performance, higher energy density than traditional lead-acid batteries, longer lifespan, and a safe and recyclable alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary energy storage applications .

Paul Mulder, Managing Director of Mayur, said: "Gelion's powerful and scalable Endure non-flow zinc-bromine batteries, combined with large-scale solar power, can provide an affordable, renewable and robust solution to the energy needs of remote communities in Papua New Guinea. "

Gelion has been able to control the cost of its battery energy storage technology by using low-cost components and producing them in existing lead-acid battery factories - earlier this year, the company announced a manufacturing partnership with local Sydney-based company Battery Energy relation.

Although headquartered in Sydney, Gelion revealed last month that it was gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange's AIM market following a successful £6 million (A$11 million) pre-IPO financing.