The California Public Utilities Commission recently approved Redflow Limited’s scalable, sustainable energy storage solutions—zinc-bromine flow batteries—as eligible for the state’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP).

The program offers rebates to new, existing and emerging energy storage resources in California that meet all or some of a facility’s electrical energy needs. Rebates for qualifying distributed energy storage systems installed on the customer side of the utility meter can be as much as $1,000 per kilowatt-hour. Qualified technologies include wind turbines, waste heat-to-power, pressure-reduction turbines, internal combustion engines, microturbines, gas turbines, fuel cells and advanced energy storage systems.

Redflow, a leader in clean energy storage, holds the distinction of being one of just a few non-lithium energy storage providers to win SGIP approval. This approval confirms that the company’s zinc-bromine flow batteries have been found to be environmentally safe and economically viable as a commercially proven energy storage option.

Rechargeable zinc-bromine batteries are an alternative to lithium-ion batteries for stationary power applications. They produce electrical current through an electrolyte consisting of an aqueous solution of zinc bromide, which makes the battery less susceptible to overheating and fire in comparison with their lithium-ion counterparts.

The approval is expected to expedite deployment to expand decarbonization efforts, particularly in disadvantaged communities.

“With more than 10 years of experience delivering energy storage solutions and supporting critical infrastructure, our rugged technology has already been proven in a wide range of harsh environments and is well-placed to support the needs of disadvantaged communities in California as outlined in the SGIP guidelines,” said Tim Harris, Redflow’s CEO and managing director. He added that the company expects to implement similar systems for other commercial clients across North America.

Redflow’s largest current commercial deployment is a 2-megawatt-hour zinc-bromine flow battery system at Anaergia’s Rialto Bioenergy facility, which recently completed its first year of successful operation. Launched in 2021, this project marks the largest single sale and deployment of flow batteries globally.

The Rialto facility provides organic waste recycling and renewable energy generation services to local government authorities and solid waste haulers. Anaergia built an on-site microgrid to maximize the use of power generated on-site and to limit their peak load from the grid. They chose Redflow as the supplier for the energy storage system because of their use of sustainable materials and the high energy density of the flow battery. As part of the project, 12 energy pods are monitored remotely through Redflow’s cloud-based battery management system and integrate at the site with other clean energy technologies.

Based in Australia, Redflow designs and manufactures zinc-bromine flow batteries for commercial, industrial and utility applications. Modular and scalable, the batteries are made from fire-safe, abundant and cost-effective materials. They are capable of 100% depth of discharge with minimal degradation and are suitable for extended-duration applications in a wide range of environments, without the need for supplemental heating or cooling. The energy storage technology includes a hibernation feature, secure remote management, simple recycling path and sustained energy delivery throughout its operating life.