Energy Storage

LG Chem will supply Steag with six of its large-scale lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries for what will become the largest energy storage system project of its kind, when complete, in 2017. Steag is investing EUR 100 million in the 90 MW project.

The expiration of Germany’s energy storage program this December is expected to see market growth contract 13% in 2016, says EuPD Research. This year, up to 16,000 small scale solar+storage systems are forecast to be installed in the country, up from 5,000 two years ago. An end of year rush and a drop in PV system prices are anticipated from those looking to profit from the funding before it ends.

In a new report, Friends of the Earth (FOE) calculates that switching to 100% renewable energy in Africa, Latin America and most of Asia by 2030 would cost US$5.15 trillion – equivalent to the amount held by the world’s 782 wealthiest people. It concludes the financing for transforming the energy landscape exists, but that the political will is “shockingly” absent. Solar, meanwhile, is envisaged as playing a key role.

The U.S., Japan and South Korea are the leading energy storage markets worldwide, says IHS, with each forecast to exceed 100 MW of annual installations this year. Between 2015 – 16, they are set to install 1.4 GW of new capacity. Large-scale system costs, meanwhile, are expected to fall significantly by 2019, which will spur global growth.

Electric car production is likely to accelerate in the wake of the VW emissions scandal, according to Audi’s top U.S. exec. While Daimler appears content to use Asian-made batteries, there are increasing calls for German automakers to work together to develop the next generation of batteries in Europe.

Researchers from Germany’s Technical University of Munich (TUM) have discovered key processes by which lithium ion batteries lose capacity. The scientists believe that battery life can be enhanced through adjusting the process by which lithium ion batteries form a pacifying layer on graphite anodes or by carrying out modifications on the cathode surface.

Report by KPMG India finds that the levelized cost of solar power in India will be around 10% cheaper than coal by 2020, with PV penetration rates set to reach around 5.7%.

Battery storage could be just five years away from being an economic no-brainer for some Australian solar households, according to a new report which predicts grid-connected battery storage will be economically attractive for many homes from around 2020. RenewEconomy reports.

The advanced energy storage system will optimize renewable energy generation at its water management facilities, providing “an added layer of protection” against power outages and make it easier to share renewable resources.

The British Photovoltaic Association has published a new report detailing the transition to a new kind of residential PV market. What role is energy storage playing in it?