Bushveld Energy
Bushveld Energy is an energy storage solutions provider – focused on vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs).
Electrolyte
Leverages vanadium processing capacity and knowledge for production of electrolyte:
- Building 200 MWh capacity electrolyte (1 100 mtV p.a. manufacturing facility)
- Scaling up vanadium electrolyte rental product
Manufacturing
Manufacturing of energy storage systems in the form of vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs):
- Support of local VRFB assembly in South Africa
- Effective interest of 25,25% in CellCube (also known as Enerox)
Deployment
MW scale energy storage project development and direct sales into large mandates and tenders:
- Includes core solar PV and long-duration storage mini-grid IPP offering
- Self-generation opportunity of >125 MW of solar PV and 180 MWh of battery ESS
Energy Services
Our services and products are informed by extensive lessons learned in energy storage, renewable energy, and project financing.
We assist in the feasibility, technical analysis, and development services of power projects that include vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs).
Once they achieve a bankable stage, we make our own investment and asset management services available to drive the development to full commercial operation.
The main services offered by Bushveld Energy are:
Early Stage Technical Services
This service line supports project developers and end-users to develop an understanding of the battery energy storage sector, specifically focusing on vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The service line delivers on technical due diligence, including permitting and environmental optimisation.
Cost Benefit Analysis & Use Case applications
One of the complexities projects experience is with the cost benefit analysis. We have experience and the skill sets to develop and produce cost benefit analysis and business cases for the use of banks, EPC service providers, and equity partners.
Development Services
Bringing the team’s accumulated experience to the project to be able to meet the demands of funders and realise a bankable energy storage project – which is both technically sound and able to generate returns for the investor.
Investment & Asset Management Services
We focus on bringing our own balance sheet and debt raising capabilities to a project and ensure that the design and development, the procurement, the funding, commissioning and asset management is best fit for the opportunity.
Deploying the Future
Bushveld Energy launched in 2016 and is building an energy storage supply chain in South Africa by leveraging the company’s South African-mined and beneficiated vanadium.
With supply integration into vanadium mining, processing and chemicals in the London-listed Bushveld Minerals group, Bushveld Energy can supply components, deploy vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) solutions, and make investments in manufacturing and energy projects.
We have a global client base and are working across Africa and the world – demonstrating the benefits of long duration storage, and more specifically, vanadium redox flow batteries. Our innovation within the energy storage sector shows businesses how energy storage can increase their bottom line and the sustainability of their overall strategy.
Reliable Electricity Supply
We aim to transform Africa by addressing the continent’s greatest obstacle to faster growth and industrialisation – reliable electricity supply.
By building a common knowledge base and providing distributed, utility-scale energy storage solutions and services to the energy sector, Bushveld Energy seeks to:
- Reduce operating costs of companies
- Provide around-the-clock electrical energy supply
- Lower the investments required by electricity grids from African governments and utilities
Business Model
Bushveld Energy’s business model embraces several activities along the vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) value chain, including electrolyte production, investment in VRFB manufacturing, and energy storage project development across Africa.
Bushveld Energy’s business model focuses on various revenue-generating activities in the mid- and downstream segments of the vanadium value chain. These activities have comparatively low capital requirements compared with the mining business.
Implementation of these activities will continue to follow the principles of strategic relationships. Relevant external parties include development agencies, funders, renewable energy developers, and energy storage component providers.
Renting (or leasing) vanadium electrolyte, a new product under development:
- Whereas, historically, VRFBs have been purchased with the vanadium electrolyte, rental / leasing would allow Bushveld Energy, or a special purpose company, to retain ownership of electrolyte and rent it to the VRFB users or buyers.
- VRFB technology is unique, because of the non-degradation of the electrolyte chemistry and the relative ease of extracting vanadium from the electrolyte at the end of the VRFB’s operating life.
- In addition to smoothing vanadium price peaks, electrolyte rental permits a long-term pricing model that reduces the upfront capital cost of a VRFB to make it one of the most commercially competitive energy storage technologies available.
Direct selling of VRFBs in African markets as a value-adding local distributor:
- In addition to identifying opportunities suitable for VRFB energy storage, this activity includes developing local logistics chains covering importation, transport, installation, and maintenance of the VRFBs and key components.
- As electricity markets are heavily regulated, significant activity in this business would require engagement with public and private stakeholders to create an environment that identifies and values the full range of benefits in long-duration energy storage offered by VRFB technology.
Developing and investing in African energy storage projects:
- An activity that starts with identifying suitable sites and extends to defining the economic business case for VRFB installations.
- It includes designing the technical and commercial structure of projects that use VRFBs, and making direct equity investment into such projects.
- By creating bankable energy storage projects, either standalone or combined with generation sources such as solar and wind, Bushveld Energy can accelerate the transition to clean energy in Africa while increasing access to quality electricity delivery through distributed mini-grids.