FlexBase begins construction of massive vanadium flow battery hub in Laufenburg

FlexBase is erecting a technology centre in Laufenburg that will house a 2.1 GWh vanadium redox flow battery system, intended to help balance Switzerland’s electricity network. The complex will measure 218 m in length, 80 m in width, 25 m deep and 30 m high, and will be clad in a blue solar panel array. By 2029 the installation plans to include 108 VRFB units delivering up to 1.2 GW of power.

CEO Marcel Aumer stresses that the flow-battery design is neither combustible nor explosive, with tanks largely filled with water and a reusable vanadium electrolyte, offering longer life and simpler disposal than lithium-ion alternatives. The largest comparable plant currently operates in China with a capacity of 1 GWh and 200 MW, considerably smaller than FlexBase’s target.