Ashlawn Energy LLC, developer and manufacturer of VanCharg™ Vanadium Flow Batteries, is excited to announce the company has leased a 10,000 square foot space on Xerox Webster Campus, bringing 20 new jobs to the region.
VanCharg™ batteries charge from electrical sources like wind, solar, or the electrical grid, and discharges power as needed to support a building’s energy load. The battery system stores enough electricity to provide back-up power to hundreds of homes and support the transmission and distribution of electricity. VanCharg™ reduces electricity costs and cuts carbon emissions by allowing customers to “beat the peak” and store less expensive and less polluting power produced at night for use during peak hours.
“When researching new areas to relocate, Webster and the Xerox Campus seemed like the perfect fit for our base of operations to manufacture and assemble our VanCharg™ battery stacks,” said Norma Byron, Ashlawn Energy president and founder. “We see Webster as a location full of possibility and hope to integrate ourselves into the community by creating jobs, contributing to economic development, and engaging in philanthropic partnerships.”
Ashlawn Energy was founded in 2008 by Norma Byron, a former defense contractor who wanted to use her knowledge of hydrogen cells for something good. She created Ashlawn Energy to empower communities with innovative energy storage solutions by enabling them to take local control of their own power, to contribute to reducing the impact of climate change, and to provide a better quality of life with cleaner air and less expensive power.
Part of the decision to relocate to Webster was driven by Ashlawn Energy’s long-standing collaboration with the RIT Center of Excellence in Advanced and Sustainable Manufacturing (COE-ASM), an ongoing partnership focused on optimizing the design and commercial scale-up of the VanCharg™ vanadium redox flow battery technology.
“Ashlawn Energy’s decision to locate in Greater Rochester, NY, is a testament to the region's industry strengths in energy innovation,” said Matt Hurlbutt, president and CEO, Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE). “Access to RIT’s battery development resources and local engineering talent will be a catalyst for the company’s growth. GRE is pleased to support this expansion by connecting Ashlawn's leadership to the workforce and economic development tools they need to succeed.”
While VanCharg™ batteries are lesser known, the benefits far outweigh those of lithium-ion batteries. Most importantly, VanCharg™ batteries are non-flammable, water-based, and non-explosive. The lifespan of these batteries is up to 30 years with an energy storage duration of 4-14 hours. This is compared to up to 7 years and 1-4 hours with lithium batteries. Other benefits of the Vancharg™ battery include low production costs, lower carbon and environmental impact, and being modular and scalable.
In 2023, Ashlawn Energy was awarded $150,000 in the FuzeHub commercialization competition at the NYS Innovation Summit. Patty Rechberger, FuzeHub innovation fund manager said, “As the President and Founder of Ashlawn Energy, Norma is a transformative leader who is successfully transitioning innovative battery energy storage technology into the heart of New York’s clean energy infrastructure. Norma has successfully bridged the gap between complex energy hardware and commercial viability. I am excited to see how this move helps Ashlawn Energy continue its mission to empower local communities, reduce carbon emissions, and provide a better quality of life through cleaner air and water.”
Ashlawn Energy is also a member of NY-BEST, or, New York Battery and Energy Storage. Executive Director of NY-BEST, William Acker, said, “"Ashlawn Energy’s move to the historic Xerox campus is a testament to the thriving energy storage ecosystem we are building in New York. By bringing innovative Vanadium Flow Battery manufacturing to Webster, Ashlawn is not only creating high-quality jobs but also providing long-duration energy storage technology essential to meeting the state’s energy reliability and affordability priorities. We are delighted to see this expansion of our clean energy supply chain."