Utility Scale Storage

German researchers have looked at how vertical PV systems could provide more electricity during periods of higher demand, while enabling a higher level of integration with agricultural activities.

South Korean researchers have published a new study on the use of hydrogel to remove gas bubbles in hydrogen production, while Shell has revealed that it will continue with its hydrogen investments in the Netherlands, Vestas, meanwhile, said it will launch a pilot project to use hydrogen in a crew transfer vessel.

Australia’s Quinbrook Infrastructure has unveiled plans to build a AUD 2.5 billion (§1.7 billion) data storage precinct in Brisbane that will be powered by renewable energy. It will include one of the largest battery storage installations in the National Electricity Market.

Eurowind Energy is building wind-solar capacity at five onshore energy centers and is also considering hydrogen electrolysis. It says each of the sites will include battery storage to offer grid services.

The system will provide district heating to the city of Kankaanpää in western Finland. It has 100 kW of heating power and 8 MWh of energy capacity.

The heat storage tank is 45 m high and has a capacity of 56 million liters. It will store district heating water at a temperature of 98 C and, according to Vattenfall, will use heat produced with renewable electricity coming from the grid.

Indian developer Acme will set up a green hydrogen and ammonia project in Tamil Nadu with 1.5 GW of electrolysis capacity and 1.1 million tons of ammonia synthesis, powered by a 5 GW solar plant.

Machinery company Yuchai expects mass production by the end of 2022, targeting tractors and other heavy commercial vehicles in mountainous or plateau areas. Sunfire is installing a 2.6 MW high-temperature electrolyzer at Neste’s renewable products refinery in Rotterdam, with commissioning expected in early 2023. Meanwhile, hydrogen-based projects in the mobility and transportation sectors are taking off in France, Czech Republic, and the UK.

Australian company AspiraDAC, which uses solar-powered Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to remove carbon from the atmosphere, has been selected to be part of the first round of purchases from Frontier, a program backed by Facebook and Google’s parent companies, Meta and Alphabet.

Basf and Man Energy announced a plan to build a 120 MW renewables-powered heat pump for steam production at an industrial site operated by Basf in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, Germany. The feasibility study for the project should be completed by the end of this year.