Utility Scale Storage

Mining giant Fortescue has abandoned plans to build a 5.4 GW solar, wind and battery energy storage project that was set to provide renewable energy to power its iron ore mining operations in Western Australia.

Italian energy group Enel says it is scrapping its plans to build a hydrogen project in La Spezia, Italy, despite €13.72 million ($14.7 million) in European subsidies, while Toyota has introduced its new Crown Sedan fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in Japan.

HDF Energy has expanded its operations to make fuel cells in France. It says it plans to produce green hydrogen infrastructure for low-carbon hydrogen production and non-intermittent renewable electrical power in 30 countries throughout the world.

Globeleq says that commercial operations have started for what is said to be Mozambique’s first combined utility-scale solar and energy storage plant, in the district of Cuamba.

Sandia National Laboratories and CSolPower have started researching the use of landscaping gravel as a thermal energy storage medium.

The Dutch authorities have started building a national hydrogen network, while Fortescue has acquired a 12.5% stake in Norwegian Hydrogen.

Transformer shortages are taking their toll on battery energy storage system (BESS) integrators, as competition in the market intensifies.

Jérémy Langon, head of energy sourcing and site development for Lhyfe, tells pv magazine that the France-based hydrogen producer is focusing on a combination of renewable sources, including offshore wind, to scale up hydrogen production.

The PV industry in Southeast Asia has come a long way since guest author Ragna Schmidt-Haupt, partner at Everoze, reported on solar financing innovation in the region more than a decade ago. In this article, she outlines five factors for success, the newest of which has the potential to become a game changer, and not only in Southeast Asia.

Solarday presented its new commercial and industrial strategy at a recent event in Milan. pv magazine Italy spoke with Solarday Sales and Marketing Director Marco Vergani about the module manufacturer’s direct participation in large-scale installations and its new line of inverters.