Vanitec supports The 4th International Vanadium, Electrolytes & VRFB Forum 2026 (May 21–22, Jishou, Hunan)
Date: 13 Jan 2026 |
Vanitec (International Vanadium Technical Committee) is pleased to support the 4th International Vanadium, Electrolytes & VRFB Forum 2026, taking place 21–22 May 2026 in Jishou, Hunan Province, China. Organized by ASIACHEM, the forum will convene leaders from across the vanadium value chain—from mining and extraction to electrolyte production, VRFB manufacturing, and project deployment—to explore the key technical breakthroughs and commercial pathways accelerating the next phase of VRFB growth.
VRFBs are gaining momentum globally thanks to high safety, long cycle life, and zero capacity degradation, with industry projections pointing to 20 GW / 120 GWh cumulative global VRFB capacity by 2030. At the same time, industry cost curves are moving quickly: 2025 winning bid prices reportedly fell below 2 yuan/Wh, and electrolyte—often 40–80% of total system cost—is the single biggest cost driver and the clearest route to competitiveness at scale.
The forum will spotlight advances across upstream supply and processing, including short-process electrolyte routes and progress such as trial production of “vanadium oxy-sulfate crystal” ultra-short-process electrolyte technology, alongside expectations that overall electrolyte costs could move from ~1000 yuan/kWh toward <700 yuan/kWh on a near-term horizon—developments with major implications for bankability, procurement strategies, and deployment pace.
Benefits of attending
Participants will gain practical, decision-useful insights and connections, including:
- Upstream market intelligence: updates on global vanadium supply patterns and price trends, plus demand outlooks tied to long-duration storage buildout.
- Cost-reduction playbooks: deep dives into clean, low-cost processes for vanadium raw materials and electrolytes, and integrated strategies to lower delivered electrolyte cost.
- Technology benchmarking: comparisons of routes such as stone coal, steel slag, and V–Ti magnetite for cleaner extraction, and progress in industrialization of different extraction technologies.
- Performance and optimization: sessions on electrolyte performance improvement, electrolyte–stack matching, and pathways to reduce total VRFB system cost.
- Circularity and new business models: updates on electrolyte recycling/regeneration and emerging approaches such as electrolyte financial leasing and asset management.
- High-value networking: meet developers, suppliers, integrators, investors, and researchers across China and international markets building localized VRFB ecosystems.
- Industrial visit: an on-the-ground industry visit on 22 May, offering real-world context on manufacturing, processing, and deployment.
Forum themes
Key themes include global supply and pricing, VRFB market demand and outlook, raw-material needs for VRFB scale-up, extraction and utilization technologies, short-process electrolyte preparation and industrialization, performance/cost optimization, recycling and regeneration, and full value-chain integration opportunities.
Agenda at a glance
- 20 May (17:00–20:00): Registration
- 21 May: Presentations, networking lunch, afternoon sessions, and reception dinner
- 22 May (09:00–12:00): Industrial visit
Call for speakers
To strengthen the program and share practical, real-world experience, the organizers are inviting VRFB industry experts, researchers, and business leaders to propose and deliver presentations at the forum.
Vanitec encourages members and partners across the vanadium and energy storage ecosystem to attend—to exchange knowledge, build partnerships, and accelerate the clean, cost-competitive pathways needed for VRFB deployment at scale.