UK: Solar Trade Association secures government climbdown on battery tax
UK taxation department HMRC agrees to place batteries sold with a new solar system in 5% VAT tax rate following lobbying by the Solar Trade Association. Government will also consider proposals to offer reduced rate to all storage.
Lithium-ion batteries below $200/kWh by 2019 will drive rapid storage uptake, finds IHS Markit
The analysts expect cumulative installed base of energy storage to reach 52 GW globally by 2025, up from 4 GW today. Annual revenues for grid-connected storage to reach more than $7bn by that date despite sharp price declines.
Solarcentury and IKEA launch residential home battery in UK
The new product, available to U.K. online customers, will retail from £3,000 for a standalone battery, or for as little as £6,925 for the solar panel-plus-battery package.
Malaysian researchers test demand response with residential PV systems
New research sheds light on the benefits of demand response applications in a low voltage distribution network with an integrated PV system.
UK: Nearly 126,000 employed in thriving renewables industry, report shows
In the first year energy storage and electric vehicle sectors are included, REA’s annual publication reveals a 2.5% YoY increase in the number of jobs in the renewable energy industry, but also a significant decline in growth from two years previous when it was at nearly 9%. The Association points to negative policy changes as the reason behind the downward trend.
VC funding for battery, smart grid and efficiency tech tops $1bn in H1 2017, finds Mercom report
More than $1 billion raised in the first half of 2017 by battery storage, smart grid and energy efficiency companies – up from $807m in H1 2016, finds latest Mercom Capital Group report.
London: New tool predicts cost effectiveness of electrical energy storage
As costs are driven down by the economies of scale and improvements in manufacturing and deployments, new technologies are finding their way to widespread adoption, as seen in the case of solar modules. In order to facilitate the prediction of costs and outcomes for new energy storage technologies, a team of researchers from Imperial College London has developed a tool to help policy makers and investors make informed decisions.
Canada’s utility Alectra expands solar-plus-storage business
The power provider has entered into a partnership with AMP Solar, a Canada-based solar developer, to offer storage solutions for its Ontario customers.
UK to unveil £246m battery investment strategy
Business and energy secretary Greg Clark to announce on Monday focused strategy designed to modernize the U.K.’s energy sector and bring more renewables into the fold via sustained support for storage technology.
Wirsol, Renew Estate team up on 1 GW
Wirsol Energy and Australian developer Renew Estate have agreed to collaborate on a renewables pipeline of more than 1 GW, starting in Australia. The new venture already has 400 MW of utility-scale solar capacity under development and plans to start construction on its first projects by the first quarter of 2018.
