VRB Energy Elevates Dr. Mianyan Huang to CEO as Gen3 Next Generation Cell Stacks Exceed Performance Targets and Company Secures Grant Funding in Recognition of Technology Innovation
BEIJING and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Aug. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
VRB Energy Inc. is pleased to announce Dr. Mianyan Huang has been elevated to the position of CEO. As CTO and chief architect of the company’s revolutionary Gen3 cell stack design, Dr. Huang has overseen a series of tests for the Gen3 system that have exceeded all performance targets to-date, and as a result, VRB Energy has been awarded grant funding in recognition of this technology innovation.
Dr. Mianyan Huang Appointed Chief Executive Officer
The company’s board of directors named Dr. Mianyan Huang as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective July 1, 2020. Dr. Huang, who has been serving as President of VRB Energy China and Chief Technology Officer as well as on the board of directors, is recognized globally as a leading expert in vanadium flow battery technology, with over 20 years of experience in the industry, and with 12 key flow battery material and system design patents to his credit.
Dr. Huang succeeds John Wang, who is retiring from an active role, but who will remain as an advisor to the company. The board of directors thanked Mr. Wang for his contribution to the company, and recognized his achievement of building a strong international presence on top of a rapidly growing market in China.
Since joining VRB Energy’s predecessor as technology founder in 2007, Dr. Huang has led a team of scientists and engineers in developing multiple innovations, including a proprietary membrane material that outperforms other commercially available membranes in terms of both cost and efficiency. He has also established outstanding relationships with developers and owners of many large scale energy storage projects in China, and this has established VRB Energy as the leading contender for multiple 100 MW-class projects scheduled under China’s infrastructure investment program, which is being accelerated as part of post-COVID economic stimulus.
“Dr. Huang has achieved remarkable technical and sales success and is now guiding the company’s commercial growth. On behalf of the board of directors, I personally congratulate Dr. Huang on his new leadership position,” said Robert Friedland, Chairman of the Board of VRB Energy.
Gen3 Technology Advancement
The company has completed testing of a new cell stack design that will be an integral part of its next generation Gen3 product. The innovation yields a 30% improvement in current density, and is based on use of VRB Energy’s proprietary in-house membrane and bipole materials, as well as advancements in electrode and cell frame design optimization.
“This testing shows that our Gen3 technology will be able to achieve a 10% improvement in overall efficiency while simultaneously reducing battery size and lowering cost for our customers,” noted Dr. Huang. He continued, “This is just one of many improvements that will enable us to deliver a complete energy storage system for less than forecasted lithium-ion battery pricing, and with 15-40% better levelized cost of energy (LCOE) performance.”
Recognition for Innovation and Leadership
In July, the Beijing Government Committee for High and New Technology Development awarded significant grant funding to VRB Energy for its leadership in energy storage product and technology innovation. Charles Ge, Vice President of China Operations noted:
“We are very proud that our research and development activities have garnered us this award and grant funding. It is a sign that the government both recognizes the important role vanadium flow battery technology will play in integrating massive amounts of new renewable energy onto the grid in China, and it also singles out VRB Energy as a leader in this field.”
The award includes grant support for a product insurance program by PingAn, the leading insurance provider in China, for both domestic and international projects.
About VRB Energy
VRB Energy is a fast-growing, privately-held clean technology innovator. The company has developed the most reliable, longest-lasting vanadium flow battery in the world, with more than 30 megawatt-hours installed and in construction worldwide, and more than 800,000 hours of demonstrated performance. The combination of VRB Energy’s proprietary low-cost ion-exchange membrane, long-life electrolyte formulation and innovative flow cell design sets it apart from other providers.
VRB Energy’s vanadium redox battery (VRB®) systems store energy in liquid electrolyte in a patented process based on the reduction and oxidation of ionic forms of the element vanadium. This is a nearly infinitely repeatable process that is safe, reliable, and non-toxic. Components can be nearly 100% recycled at end of-life, dramatically improving lifecycle economics and environmental benefits compared to lead-acid, lithium-ion and other battery systems.
VRB Energy is majority-owned by High Power Exploration (HPX), a North American, minerals exploration and development company that also invests in minerals-dependent, high-growth emerging technologies. HPX is a subsidiary of I-Pulse, a global leader in developing innovative commercial applications for pulsed power technologies that convert small amounts of electrical energy into limitless power to address a broad and growing suite of applications across multiple industrial markets. I-Pulse is a private company with offices in Toulouse, London, Tokyo and Vancouver.
For more information on VRB Energy, HPX and I-Pulse, please visit our websites at www.vrbenergy.com, www.hpxploration.com, and www.ipulse-group.com.
Information contacts
Jim Stover
jim.stover@vrbenergy.com
+1 604 648 3900
Charles Ge 葛启明
charlesge@vrbenergy.com
+86 186 7010 7777
www.globenewswire.com
