BCPG, renewable energy company in Thailand and Asia-Pacific, is expanding its business into utility-scale energy storage with the investment of US$24 million in VRB Energy, vanadium flow battery technology manufacturer.
This strategic partnership will bring BCPG to the forefront of the utility-scale renewable energy and energy storage business.
The investment is expected to fuel the expansion of VRB Energy’s production facilities, serving the rapidly growing demand of its VRB-ESS systems in China. It will also meet the rapidly developing energy storage market across Thailand and the Asia-Pacific region.
Renewable energy has been growing at a fast pace due to government policies on carbon emissions reductions and the declining cost of renewables. However, the intermittency of renewable sources such as solar and wind requires an effective solution.
VRB-ESS utility-scale systems ensure a reliable electricity supply by providing long-duration storage – the key to renewable electricity demand and supply management. The systems can also be used as an auxiliary source to ensure grid transmission and distribution efficiency, delivering fast and uninterrupted power to the grid when needed, especially during peak demand periods.
The VRB-ESS developed by VRB Energy is also cost-efficient and one of the longest lifecycle energy storage systems, which can be integrated with clean power plants to ensure stability and reliability. This technology is a catalyst for the future of renewable energy – decentralised generation, virtual power plants and smart grids.
“According to BloombergNEF and Wood Mackenzie, global energy storage will increase 122 times between 2018 and 2040, and global energy storage capacity is expected to grow at 31 per cent CAGR through 2030,” BCPG president Bundit Sapianchai said.
“BCPG’s investment in technology-leader VRB Energy will pave the way to more opportunities as an energy storage solution provider in Thailand. The vanadium flow battery technology can also enhance performance of our existing renewable power plants and be applied to new green projects in the future.”
“BCPG is a leader in Asia’s green energy revolution and this investment reinforces our belief that VRB’s game-changing technology will be a catalyst for integration of massive amounts of renewable energy around the region,” VRB Energy chairman Robert Friedland said.