Invinity Selected for World’s Largest Vanadium Flow Battery Project to Support AI Data Centre Growth
Date: 22 May 2026 |
Source: invinity.com, 21 May 2026
Strategic partnership with Swiss developer FlexBase positions vanadium flow batteries at the centre of next-generation AI energy infrastructure
Invinity Energy Systems plc, a leading global manufacturer of utility-grade energy storage systems, has been selected by Swiss infrastructure developer FlexBase Group to design a gigawatt-hour-scale vanadium flow battery (VFB) system for the Technology Centre Laufenburg in Switzerland.
The project is expected to become the world’s largest vanadium flow battery installation, with an initial deployment of up to 1.5 GWh and plans for future expansion to 2.1 GWh. Located on the Switzerland-Germany border, the Laufenburg development will combine a state-of-the-art AI data centre and technology campus with large-scale renewable energy integration and advanced grid stabilisation capabilities.
Following an extensive international competitive evaluation process involving multiple flow battery manufacturers, FlexBase selected Invinity based on the strength of its technology offering, lifecycle cost advantages, safety profile, and modular system architecture.
The vanadium flow battery system will provide long-duration energy storage to help manage the highly variable electricity demands associated with AI computing infrastructure while also delivering critical flexibility and balancing services to the electricity grid. According to Financial Times reporting, the project highlights growing efforts by data centres to position themselves as flexible grid participants rather than contributors to grid congestion.
Unlike conventional lithium-ion batteries, vanadium flow batteries store energy in liquid electrolyte tanks external to the electrochemical stack, enabling long-duration discharge capability, minimal degradation over repeated cycling, and enhanced operational safety. Invinity’s systems are capable of delivering up to 10 hours of energy storage duration and are particularly suited for large-scale stationary applications where reliability and safety are critical.
Jonathan Marren, Chief Executive Officer of Invinity Energy Systems, commented:
“Having just delivered the biggest vanadium flow battery in the UK, Invinity now enters the engineering phase of what will be the world's largest vanadium flow battery to date. Our longstanding focus on continually building our expertise in flow battery technology has been recognized with the award of this phase of the contract and I am extremely proud of the efforts of the Invinity team in getting us to this position.”
Marcel Aumer, Group CEO and Founder of FlexBase Group, added:
“Invinity has proven to be the strongest partner by presenting the most compelling overall package with the lowest life-cycle costs (LCOS). Invinity's vanadium flow technology is perfectly suited for our project due to its safety - particularly its non-flammability - its cycle stability, and its flexibility in application.”
Construction at the Laufenburg site began in May 2025 and is currently underway. The engineering phase of the battery project is expected to continue through 2026 and into 2027, with phased manufacturing anticipated following successful completion of system design milestones.
Industry analysts increasingly view long-duration energy storage as a key enabling technology for the rapid expansion of AI computing infrastructure and renewable energy integration. Vanadium flow batteries are attracting growing attention due to their non-flammability, operational longevity, and ability to sustain heavy daily cycling without significant performance degradation.