CMBlu Energy, the designer and maker of a proprietary organic flow battery, has won its first deal in the US since the company’s expansion into the market.
Utility holding company WEC Energy Group said that it will deploy the European startup’s technology in a megawatt-scale pilot project, aimed at demonstrating its long-duration energy storage (LDES) capabilities.
The system will be installed at the site of Valley Power Plant, a 280MW natural gas-fired cogeneration plant in WEC’s portfolio, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The pilot is being conducted in partnership between WEC Energy Group, CMBlu and the national Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the influential non-profit technology R&D and demonstration group.
While most flow batteries use vanadium as the main material in their electrolyte, and a smaller number use other electrolytes like zinc-bromine (e.g., Redflow), or iron and saltwater (ESS Inc), CMBlu’s apparently does not.
Like Honeywell and Lockheed Martin, two other players launching proprietary flow batteries into the North American market, CMBlu is keeping the composition of its electrolyte seemingly under wraps, disclosing only that it is organic and made using abundant and recyclable materials.
The exact sizing of the project is to be determined but WEC said it would be a 1MWh to 2MWh system, and its performance will be tested under various use cases, including applications requiring discharge of between 5-10 hours.
Testing is expected to begin in Q4 this year, with EPRI due to share its complete analysis of the project next year.