On April 9, 2023, a significant incident involving a residential energy storage system occurred in Albon, Switzerland, where 50 liters of vanadium electrolyte leaked. Fortunately, this incident did not result in a fire. The police in the Thurgau region reported that they initiated a “fire and chemical rescue operation” at an apartment building in Albon due to smoke emanating from the basement. The emergency call was received shortly after 7:30 AM, prompting an investigation.
The police’s preliminary investigation indicated that “approximately 500 liters of vanadium electrolyte leaked from the photovoltaic system in the basement.” However, they refrained from commenting on whether the fire was related to the solar panels or the vanadium redox flow energy storage system, citing the ongoing investigation.
Subsequently, the manufacturer of the energy storage system, Prolux Solutions, clarified that no fire had occurred. They corrected the earlier estimate, stating that the actual leakage was 50 liters, equivalent to about 10% of the tank’s capacity. The leaked electrolyte has been diluted and collected, and the remaining electrolyte has been pumped out. While the electronic components of the storage system were affected, Prolux Solutions confirmed that “another energy storage unit in the same series close to the affected device was undamaged.”
According to the initial findings, the Thurgau police suspected a technical defect in the storage system that requires further investigation by experts. Fortunately, no injuries were reported during the incident. Residents had evacuated the building prior to the police’s arrival, and they were later allowed to return to their apartments after the fire department ventilated the basement. The estimated property damage is in the tens of thousands of Swiss francs.
The energy storage system involved in this incident is a 6 kWh vanadium flow battery system from Prolux Solutions. Established in 1978, the company primarily operates in the construction sector in Switzerland, providing innovative solutions for efficient heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Prolux Solutions is also engaged in the all-vanadium flow battery storage field, aiming to penetrate the European residential storage application market with its compact size and Modbus interface.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/leak-of-vanadium-electrolyte-in-swiss-home-energy-storage-system-raises-safety-concerns/
