
Riyadh - Sharikat Mubasher: Aramco, one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies, successfully commissioned a megawatt (MW)-scale renewable energy storage system to power gas production activities.
This achievement is the first deployment globally of an Iron-Vanadium (Fe/V) flow battery as a backup solar power source for gas well operations, the company announced in a recent statement.
Located in Wa’ad Al-Shamal, the 1-MW/hour flow battery system is based on Aramco's patented technology and was developed in collaboration with Rongke Power (RKP), a global leader in flow batteries.
The system supports up to five wells over its projected 25-year lifespan, offers a robust alternative to existing solar energy solutions, and can handle variable power demands efficiently and cost-effectively.
Ali Al-Meshari, Senior Vice President of Technology Oversight and Coordination at Aramco, stated that the pioneering flow battery system represents a breakthrough for the oil and gas industry. “Aramco already powers a large number of remote gas wells with solar panels connected to lead-acid battery systems, but our ground-breaking flow battery technology offers a flexible solution for diverse renewable energy storage requirements, making it an attractive option for a variety of industrial applications,” he said.
The new (Fe/V) flow battery commissioned by Aramco aligns with the company’s focus on renewables investment and energy efficiency, as part of its ambition to achieve net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions across its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050.