The global long-duration energy storage (LDES) sector has reached a pivotal commercialization milestone, as China-based Times Energy Storage and Cyprus-headquartered Redox One have announced a landmark strategic collaboration focused on advancing iron-chromium flow battery (ICFB) technology, building a fully integrated global supply chain, and driving scaled deployment of cost-effective LDES solutions across high-growth markets worldwide. The partnership unites two industry leaders with complementary core strengths: deep technical expertise in flow battery R&D and manufacturing, and secure access to critical raw material reserves, creating an end-to-end ecosystem to accelerate ICFB’s global commercial adoption.
Core Competencies of the Strategic Partners
Redox One is a specialized developer focused exclusively on iron-chromium flow battery R&D, with full mastery of core proprietary technologies including electrolyte formulation and in-cell rebalancing systems, which are critical to optimizing ICFB performance, lifespan, and operational stability. Its parent company, Tharisa, is a Cyprus-headquartered, South Africa-focused integrated resources group, and a leading global producer of chrome ore and platinum group metals (PGMs). Tharisa’s extensive, proven mineral reserves provide Redox One with unmatched, secure access to the core chromium feedstock required for large-scale ICFB production, eliminating critical supply chain volatility for the partnership.
Times Energy Storage brings decades of deep expertise in the global energy storage sector, with a full industrial chain layout across aqueous organic, iron-chromium, and all-vanadium flow battery technologies. The company has achieved breakthrough technological innovations in core flow battery materials, including high-performance electrolyte formulations and durable ion exchange membranes, with its product portfolio covering a full spectrum of use cases: long-duration energy storage for renewable integration, precision grid frequency regulation, and low-voltage distribution area energy storage systems.
Four Pillars of the Landmark Collaboration
The multi-faceted partnership is built around four core strategic pillars, designed to address the key barriers to large-scale ICFB adoption: supply chain security, cost reduction, technology advancement, and global market expansion.
First, the partners will co-build a fully integrated supply chain for ICFB core raw materials. Leveraging Tharisa’s dominant position in global chrome ore production and reserves, paired with Times Energy Storage’s proprietary material purification and application technologies, the collaboration will establish a vertically integrated ecosystem spanning chrome ore mining, smelting, and high-purity electrolyte production. This end-to-end supply chain will break down existing raw material supply bottlenecks for the global ICFB industry, while driving dramatic cost reductions for iron-chromium electrolyte, with a targeted cost of $25–30 per kWh by 2028.
Second, the partners will conduct joint R&D and industrialization of next-generation ICFB technologies, with a focused roadmap to solve key industry challenges including energy density enhancement and system-level cost optimization. The collaboration has already achieved its first commercial milestone: the first batch of jointly developed iron-chromium flow energy storage products has completed factory acceptance testing and been shipped to the European market.
Third, the partners have signed a firm 600MWh iron-chromium flow energy storage system order. The systems will be prioritized for deployment at Tharisa’s mining operations across Southern Africa, supporting the full decarbonization and clean energy transition of the mine’s on-site power supply, while delivering a proven commercial use case for industrial off-grid and mining decarbonization applications.
Fourth, the partners will jointly expand their global market footprint, with a strategic focus on high-growth regions with surging energy storage demand, including Africa, Europe, and Southeast Asia. The collaboration will drive scaled deployment of ICFB systems across these markets, accelerating the global commercial adoption of the technology and supporting the worldwide clean energy transition.
Market Tailwinds for Iron-Chromium Flow Battery Technology
The partnership comes amid unprecedented acceleration in the global energy transition, with large-scale grid integration of wind and solar renewable energy driving explosive demand for long-duration energy storage solutions. LDES is widely recognized as the critical enabling technology to address the intermittency and volatility of renewable generation, ensuring grid stability and reliable power supply as the world shifts away from fossil fuels.
Iron-chromium flow batteries have emerged as a leading technology pathway for long-duration energy storage, thanks to their core competitive advantages: ultra-long cycle life, inherent non-flammable safety, low lifecycle cost, and stable operation across a wide temperature range. The technology is ideally suited for a broad range of utility and industrial applications, including grid-side peak shaving, deep frequency regulation for coal-fired power plants, renewable energy base station energy storage, zero-carbon industrial parks, and data center backup power, with massive long-term growth potential.
Strategic Significance of the Global Partnership
This collaboration between Times Energy Storage and Redox One represents far more than a single commercial supply agreement. It is a tangible demonstration of the evolution of Chinese energy storage companies’ global expansion strategy, shifting from simple product export to full ecosystem co-development with global partners. It also marks a landmark achievement in deepened China-Africa cooperation in the new energy sector, uniting African raw material resources, Chinese technical and manufacturing expertise, and global market access.
As the partnership’s milestones are progressively implemented, it will further strengthen the full industrial chain layout for iron-chromium flow battery technology, drive down industry-wide costs, enhance the global competitiveness of ICFB solutions, and accelerate the full commercialization of long-duration energy storage technologies. Ultimately, the collaboration will deliver more cost-effective, safe, and reliable energy storage solutions to support the global clean energy transition.
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