Minigrid

Batteries will form part of the consumer picture within two to three years, according to Júlio Bortolini, from Brazilian conglomerate Soprano.

The Canadian province of British Columbia has allocated CAD 7.7 million ($5.5 million) to projects in seven communities, including a 3.8 MW solar farm, energy storage, and a pre-feasibility study on hydrogen production.

A four-year research project by several German universities is exploring the release of molecules involved in molecular solar thermal (MOST) energy storage. They plan to modify the molecules to achieve the best possible properties for the storage technology.

Supporting First Nations people to effectively engage in and benefit from the energy transition is a timely priority for Australia’s emerging Net Zero Economy Authority, which is tasked with facilitating investments nationwide. pv magazine Australia’s Ev Foley finds the road to clean energy for remote communities can be long and hard, but possible. In the Pilbara, a First Nations group is blazing a trail as a developer of a 3 GW renewables pipeline.

The International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) latest report says that women’s roles in decentralized renewable energy are critical to achieving universal electricity access in underserved communities.

South Africa’s University of the Western Cape (UWC) has opened a 4 MW solar and storage tender, with proposals to include a PV carport system and an online monitoring and management platform. The tender follows a build, operate, and transfer model for up to 20 years.

Yap State Public Service Corp. is seeking bids to supply solar minigrids with battery energy storage systems (BESS), totaling 79 kW, for Yap Island in the Federated States of Micronesia. Applications are open until Jan. 28, 2025.

AVSI Foundation, an Italian NGO, has launched a tender to repair a 100 kWp minigrid in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project involves replacing the battery energy storage and conversion systems. Applications are due Nov. 4.

South African miner Gold Fields has contracted Scottish power company Aggreko to more than double the size of an off-grid hybrid solar and battery microgrid helping to power its Granny Smith mining operation in Western Australia.

Battery storage accounted for the second-largest share of newly operating generating capacity in the United States in the first half of 2024. If all planned additions come online, this year could see a record amount of battery storage capacity added to the grid, totaling 15 GW.