A distant Australian mine web site has put in the nation’s first sodium-sulfur battery

The nation’s first sodium-sulfur (NAS) battery is up and working at a mine in Western Australia because the trade explores new methods to transition to renewable vitality.

The Future Battery Industries Cooperative Analysis Centre (FBICRC) is behind the set up of the 250 kW/1.45 MWh Battery Power Storage System (BESS) demonstration unit, which is designed for long-duration storage, on the IGO Nova nickel-copper-cobalt mine web site.

German chemical substances big BASF is a part of the undertaking, supplying the NAS model battery, which is charged from photo voltaic panels atop the unit.

Whereas it’s an Australian first, FBICRC CEO Shannon O’Rourke identified that NAS battery expertise is mature and has been efficiently put in and operated at over 250 websites worldwide over the previous 20 years.

“These discipline deployments have helped to construct market confidence, prepare the workforce and construct functionality within the contracting neighborhood,” he mentioned. 

IGO CEO Matt Dusci mentioned they’re specializing in analysis and improvement to hurry up each his firm’s response to local weather change alongside broader trade efforts. 

“The BASF NAS battery trial at our Nova Operation is a vital approach to discipline check the suitability of this distinctive expertise in a mining setting and the way this may contribute to a clear vitality future,” he mentioned

NAS batteries. Picture: Equipped

NAS batteries are designed to retailer vitality for a very long time, sometimes 6-8 hours or extra.

They’ve the potential to shift giant quantities of vitality to intervals of low renewable vitality era.  Because of this when renewable vitality sources like wind or photo voltaic should not producing sufficient vitality, the NAS batteries can launch the saved vitality to fulfill the demand. 

In different phrases, they will help steadiness the vitality provide and demand and guarantee that there’s a regular and dependable supply of vitality.

The efficiency of the battery shall be assessed by the QUT-operated Nationwide Battery Testing Centre and the College of Western Australia.