Ashlawn Energy Award Phase 1 Air Force Small Business Innovative Research for Vanadium Flow Battery for Forward-Deployed Forces
Binghamton, NY – April 9, 2021 – Ashlawn Energy today announced the firm won an Air Force Phase 1 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Award for Vanadium Flow Battery for Forward-Deployed Forces. Air Force expeditionary forces are seeking innovative and sustainable energy solutions to improve warfighter self-sufficiency in forward-deployed operations by reducing energy, logistical and operational footprints, and risk. The Air Force has a significant logistical burden providing diesel fuel to forward-deployed airmen who need reliable power to operate remotely for many hours per day. Currently base power is provided by solar and diesel generators which results in high diesel operating costs and significant thermal signature. Additionally, transporting fuel to forward deployed bases is difficult and dangerous.
Ashlawn Energy’s commercially developed vanadium flow battery energy storage system will be tailored for deployment for operation in conjunction with solar and diesel generators to provide long-duration, non-flammable, safe, transportable power to forward-deployed warfighters in expeditionary missions. It is an advanced energy storage technology that can be ruggedized, developed, and transitioned to meet the power needs for Air Force expeditionary missions. The battery system enables long-duration power up to 12 hours to power base operations and reduces logistics tail for supplying diesel fuel to theater operations.
Vanadium flow batteries integrate renewable and fossil power to provide dependable, long-duration power. Vanadium batteries will not catch fire or explode like lithium-ion batteries which means that this is not subject to thermal runaway and the system never needs refueling.
Ashlawn Energy personnel have over 60 years of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) team experience.
During Phase I Ashlawn will validate and verify requirements for Ashlawn Energy’s battery to support power requirements of expeditionary forward-deployed forces, as outlined in several tasks.
About Ashlawn Energy LLC
Ashlawn Energy was founded in 2008 by Norma Byron. Drawing on her knowledge of hydrogen fuel cells from her work in the defense industry and harnessing a desire to create something to benefit the world. Ashlawn Energy provides energy storage solutions utilizing vanadium redox fuel cell energy storage technology. Ashlawn is determined to lead the field in energy storage for wind, solar, utility and industrial peak management by securing support from strategic alliance partners, and community stakeholders to reduce electrical charges and fight climate change.
Ashlawn Energy joined Binghamton University’s Koffman Clean Energy Incubator in 2018 and established a research and test lab there a year later. In 2020, Ashlawn became part of the Prototype-to-Production cohort at Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, an incubator created by Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins-Cortland Community College.
Media & Investor Relations
Norma Byron
Ashlawn Energy LLC
+1 (703) 461-3600
njbyron@ashlawnenergyllc.com