Bushveld Electrolyte Company on track for first production

21st February 2023 By: Donna Slater - Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

Integrated primary vanadium producer and energy storage solutions provider Bushveld Minerals reports that its South African vanadium electrolyte factory – Bushveld Electrolyte Company (Belco) – is on track for completion before the end of the first half of the year.

The Belco plant is currently undergoing cold commissioning, which once complete, will be followed by hot commissioning and initial production of one-million litres of vanadium electrolyte.

Belco, in 2022, started a qualification process for its electrolyte to be used in vanadium redox flow batteries, in preparation for electrolyte sales later this year.

In January, Bushveld Minerals CEO Fortune Mojapelo said construction of the Belco electrolyte plant was more than 80% complete with an eventual ramp-up to eight-million litres a year.

“The ramp-up period can be accelerated to meet short-term market demand,” he stated.

Bushveld Minerals also notes that while progress is being made in the qualification process with manufacturers to use its electrolyte, it will not, at this stage, provide any electrolyte production guidance, as production will be informed by sales and offtake contracts with original-equipment manufacturers, with which discussions are ongoing.