VFlowTech, a Singapore-based firm that manufactures modular vanadium redox flow batteries, will join Seoul National University of Science & Technology (SeoulTech) and systems integrator CompanyWE to install EV charging infrastructure at gas stations in South Korea.

The pilot charging sites will incorporate an energy storage system using VFlowTech’s 150 kW modular PowerCube flow batteries. The company has successfully deployed the technology at a test-bed project in Singapore.

“Globally, there is a need for energy storage solutions that can accommodate larger capacities of renewable energy,” said Jae Woo, CEO of CompanyWE. “Vanadium flow batteries store their energy in tanks, which means they have much larger capacity for energy storage and are also cost-efficient as they can last for up to 25 years. With VFlowTech’s unique technology, we have a truly innovative solution with utility-scale batteries that can operate at much wider temperature [ranges] and mitigate risks of fire, which is extremely important since our systems will be built underground at gas stations.”

“Energy storage and management is a key enabler for the energy transition to renewables, due to the intermittent nature of solar or wind power generation,” said Dr Avishek Kumar, co-founder and CEO of VFlowTech. “Our proprietary IP on vanadium redox flow technology provides an alternative storage solution to store renewable energy for long periods of time in a cost-effective way. The electrolyte flows from one tank, through the system [and] back to the same tank. As a result, it’s much easier to adapt flow batteries to industrial-scale applications without adding extra costs.”

Sources: VFlowTech, Seoul National University Of Science & Technology, CompanyWE