ASX-listed clean energy specialist Redflow (ASX: RFX) has welcomed confirmation that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has approved funding for a 34.4 MWh long-duration energy storage (LDES) microgrid project.
Redflow has been named as the battery provider for the project which will form part of the DOE’s US$325 million LDES program which seeks to advance critical clean energy technologies, expand the adoption of renewable energy resources, and strengthen America’s energy security.
The Australian firm has been named as the LDES provider for the Children’s HospitAl Resilient Grid with Energy Storage (CHARGES) project which will enable the Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, California, to replace diesel generators with cleaner, more cost-effective resources at the facility, and provide a roadmap for other hospitals and critical infrastructure throughout the country to implement similar projects.
Redflow will collaborate on the system with its project development partner, Faraday Microgrids. The project is being sponsored, and expected to be co-funded by, the California Energy Commission (CEC).
Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera is the only full-service pediatric facility in California’s Central Valley and regularly faces extreme heat conditions, drought, coastal smog, and poor air quality. The 34.4 MWh long-duration energy storage and solar microgrid will enable the hospital to better serve the region’s residents, even during power interruptions. This project also represents an important step toward meeting California’s goal of installing 45-55 GW of LDES by 2045 to support grid reliability and its clean energy transition.
Our batteries are ideally suited for daily use in the Central Valley’s extreme heat, and we’re proud to provide the resources the hospital needs to ensure safe, reliable operations,” Redflow CEO and Managing Director, Tim Harris, said.
“This combination of our technology leadership, Faraday’s trusted microgrid solutions, and the funding provided by the CEC and DOE all assist in transitioning communities to a cleaner, more energy-efficient future. We are delighted to see another project from our fast-growing pipeline of opportunities progress forward and ultimately support another community with its transition to renewable energy.”
The system is expected to maintain critical hospital operations during utility outages or shortages not attributable to earthquakes. In the event of obligatory natural gas or fuel cell shut-offs during seismic events, the systems will maintain facility operations for at least 18 hours after earthquakes.
Following the funding announcement, it is expected that CEC will proceed to negotiate funding agreements with the DOE, to seek the approval of its CEC Commissioners for the provision of matching funding, and then negotiate delivery agreements with Faraday Microgrids and Redflow.
Under the current project proposal, Redflow aims to supply 34.4 MWh of zinc-bromine flow batteries, enclosed in its modular energy pods, in late 2025. The timetable is indicative only and subject to final approvals and legal documentation.
In addition to Redflow batteries, the microgrid will be paired with other renewable energy resources to support decarbonisation, result in cost savings for the hospital, provide resilient infrastructure for the hospital in case of natural disasters and power outages, and provide overall grid benefits.
