In a huge win, Technology Metals makes its first battery-grade Vanadium from WA

Next-generation battery developer Technology Metals Australia (ASX:TMT) successfully created its first batch of battery-grade vanadium electrolyte on Tuesday. 

TMT is using vanadium inside a type of battery called a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) which boasts superior operating credentials compared to lithium-ion batteries. 

The technology has been understood for decades, but has so far largely eluded commercial markets.

“Production of high quality vanadium electrolyte from [Murchison Technology Metals Project] feedstock is a significant step in TMT’s strategic goal of becoming an integral participant in the VRFB supply chain,” TMT managing director  Ian Prentice said. 

“TMT is looking forward to progressing its relationships with global VRFB manufacturers and moving towards electrolyte production to support the growing long duration energy storage market in Australia.”

The move comes only two months after the company upgraded the size of its project resource by 25% late last year. 

VRFB implications 

TMT’s vision is for an Australian energy grid where VRFBs are used in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSies) which store renewable energy overnight and up to days at a time. 

For a 100% transition to renewables to be feasible, BESSies must become a major component of local and national-scale electricity grids. 

Turning Vanadium ore into vanadium electrolyte, which is then manufactured into batteries, has been the main mission of TMT’s metallurgical team recently, and the company has now minted a way to do it. 

“The fact that this maiden batch of electrolyte meets the strict specifications of VRFB manufacturers is a testament to the first-class orebody at the MTMP and the industry leading status of our technology partner LE System,” Prentice added.

Government-backed focus 

TMT even signed up with a government-supported R&D centre in Canberra last year. 

And it’s not just the Australian government that is interested in the project - the Danish Government has also flagged its interest.

So what’s next?

Now, with vanadium electrolyte produced, the completion of a key section of an ongoing downstream feasibility study is well underway. That study will ultimately go towards enhancing bankability of the project. And LE Systems have been involved in that process since July last year.

The main outcome of that study? Fully fleshing out the downstream manufacture of vanadium electrolyte at a low-cost locally. 

TMT reported on Tuesday the electrolyte produced “compared favourable to commercially available vanadium electrolytes.”

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