Distributed Storage

The Indian authorities have opened global bids to set up advanced-chemistry battery cell manufacturing units in India under the production-linked incentive scheme. Applications are open until Dec. 31, but bidders must commit to setting up a minimum of 5 GWh of capacity to qualify for the government subsidy.

A growing share of residential solar projects now attach energy storage batteries. In part one of this new series, we consider the backup power feature of batteries.

Rocky Mountain Power’s incentive program requires that the batteries be charged by on-site solar power systems in order to fully qualify.

In a chat with pv magazine at the Key Energy event in Rimini, Roberta Valenziani, of Italian trade body Elettricità Futura, explained the factors preventing Italy’s PV market from having a renaissance. She said the country has Europe’s longest delays and highest costs for obtaining permits for large scale solar.

Israel-based Augwind has built its first 250 kW/1 MWh compressed air storage system for the collective community of Yahel, in the southern, desert part of the country. The commercial scale facility will be connected to a PV system and will be used for behind-the-meter services.

Developed by French start-up EODev, the 100 kVa system is equipped with fuel cells manufactured by Toyota. The generator has a power of 110 kVA and its lifetime is guaranteed for 15,000 hours.

Developed by Honeywell, the flow battery is currently being tested by U.S. utility Duke Energy. The battery can reach a storage capacity of 12 MWh and be used through a modular approach in large scale renewable energy projects.

Elsewhere, Snam and Toyota are pushing for more hydrogen-based mobility in Italy, and Woodside Petroleum wants to establish an export-oriented hydrogen and ammonia production facility in Australia.

The country added 60MW/106 MWh in the first half of the year. Energy storage continues to grow with the region of Lombardy and Veneto being the two largest contributors.

With green hydrogen needed to produce the ‘e-ammonia’ required for carbon-free vessels, new clean power generation capacity and potential solar power hotspots near international shipping lanes will be crucial.