Utility Scale Storage

An off-grid residential system on a secluded island in Australia has received a new tech upgrade. The additional capacity highlights the new era of off-grid living available to remote households in the country.

The Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (Jogmec) and Germany’s H2Global Foundation have agreed to cooperate on clean hydrogen, while officials from Japan and South Africa met this week to discuss hydrogen collaboration opportunities.

Hive Energy is in the process of securing approval to deploy 800 MW of electrolysis capacity and 1.1 GW of PV in Spain’s Albacete province, as part of a broader plan to install 9 GW of wind and solar power, along with 4 GW of electrolyzers by 2030.

A new Stanford University report shows that the transition to clean energy could help many countries to reduce their annual energy costs by around 61%.

Tripling clean energy generation capacity to 11 TW by 2030 was a leading pledge from the United Nations’ (UN) climate change conference in Dubai. With few details about infrastructure and energy storage and no clear PV targets, however, it is hard to judge the effectiveness of the 28th global Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting. Angela Skujins considers possible impacts for the solar industry.

ESB has opened a 75 MW/150 MWh battery plant, touted as the largest of its kind in commercial operation in Ireland. Eamon Ryan, the country’s Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, has said that the site will be a core part of Ireland’s renewable energy transition.

The US Department of Energy (DoE) has announced plans to invest $20 million in 16 projects across eight states to accelerate the exploration of geologic hydrogen.

Galp, a Portuguese energy company, has announced plans to build a 5 MW/20 MWh battery storage system in Portugal, in collaboration with Powin. The system at one of Galp’s solar plants will enable it to adjust its PV production profile and meet its energy requirements. This project marks Powin’s first venture in Europe.

PV systems, surpassing minimum load demands in various regions, necessitate innovative grid integration measures. Active power management (APM), notably curtailment, emerges as a powerful solution here. By actively managing power peaks, PV systems can unlock new possibilities, contribute to grid stability, and enhance their overall value. The new IEA-PVPS Task 14 report encourages a shift in perspective, urging DSOs to explore the potential of APM instead of traditional grid expansion methods.

RWE and PPC have announced the final investment decision for the construction of a 450 MWp solar plant in Greece through their joint venture, Meton Energy S.A. RWE has also shared the details of a 35 MW/41 MWh battery storage project – its first utility-scale storage facility in the Netherlands.