Production of Vanadium Electrolyte
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The Government of Quebec has identified several metals, including vanadium, as critical and strategic. Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) can store large amounts of energy, maintain their initial capacity regardless of the number of cycles, and exhibit high efficiency even at low charge levels. These properties make VRFBs an ideal complement to renewable energy sources, whose peak production does not always align with peak consumption. Consequently, VRFBs will become an additional tool for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
However, high-purity vanadium electrolyte is required for use in redox flow batteries. Currently, 85% of global vanadium electrolyte production originates from China and Russia.
Quebec possesses rich vanadium deposits (Chibougamau), and VanadiumCorp Resource Inc. (VCR) has extensive expertise in laboratory-scale electrochemical production of vanadium electrolyte. VCR will leverage this expertise to develop Quebec’s first pilot plant for mass production of high-purity vanadium electrolyte.
Following demonstration of battery performance in northern conditions, a pilot plant to produce vanadium oxide from Lac Doré ore (sufficient for 106 years of production) will be constructed in Chibougamau.
The project will establish a formal R&D partnership between CIMMS, VCR, and the University of Sherbrooke, and will support the hiring of highly skilled personnel for both CIMMS and VCR.
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