Energy Storage

Grid scale lith-ion batteries may be multiplying Stateside, but an expected recovery in the production line segment will be put on hold until next year because of the pandemic, according to one analyst.

Norwegian polysilicon maker and silicon business Elkem is planning to build a manufacturing facility in Herøya.

David Riester of Lacuna Sustainable Investments, looks at how, on the journey from concept to monetized power plant, renewables and energy storage projects tend to get tugged toward ‘zero’ margin, from either direction. The further the rubber band is stretched, the stronger the pull back toward zero.

A novel anion exchange membrane has been developed by German chemical company Evonik. Its creators claim it can make hydrogen generation cheaper, as the cells used for electrolysis featuring the device would not require precious metals.

Analyst IHS Markit has predicted storage will rebound this year following its first year-on-year decline in 2019. The technology is being rolled out at pace despite Covid-19 with state-level policies set to keep the US the global capital for the next five years.

Swedish start-up Azelio says it will have a pilot project up and running in Masdar City by the end of next month. The technology sees electricity used to super heat aluminum with energy released on demand via a heat transfer fluid to drive a Stirling engine.

The call is part of a government action plan for achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

As renewables penetration increases, transmission and distribution (T&D) infrastructure will require significant reinforcement. Battery storage is becoming a key alternative to traditional ways of reinforcing network infrastructure, because it is fast to deploy, can provide multiple services, and often comes at a lower capital cost. IHS Markit analyst Oliver Forsyth delves into the additional value streams that strengthen the case for grid-connected batteries.

With the government having already introduced measures which will reduce the volume of renewables in the national energy mix, further new provisions will restrict the deployment of energy storage and the ability of solar energy generators to sell excess power to nearby consumers.

The Japanese electronics giant has deployed a 3.5 kW hydrogen fuel cell system for at its Michinoeki-Namie site in the Fukushima prefecture. The fuel will be provided by the company’s 10 MW Fukushima Hydrogen Energy Research Field nearby.