FlexBase Group, a Swiss IT, communication, and energy consultancy, has partnered with local construction firm Erne to build an over 500 MW redox flow battery storage system alongside a data center for artificial intelligence in Laufenburg, Switzerland. Erne Group has been contracted to execute the project, with construction slated to begin in spring 2025.
This initiative is expected to create several hundred new jobs and training opportunities for specialists at the Laufenburg site. The project will repurpose a building previously utilized by Swissgrid as an operational hub.
Adjacent to this hub, a new facility will house the redox flow battery storage, which FlexBase claims will be the largest of its kind globally.
The redox flow battery technology is designed to be sustainable, non-flammable, non-explosive, and recyclable. Additionally, the waste heat generated by the data center will be redirected to the district heating network of Laufenburg.
The operational hub will also feature a photovoltaic system covering more than 8,000 square meters, enhancing the project's sustainability credentials.