LG Energy Solution IPO attracts $80bn in bids
LG Chem’s energy storage and battery division’s $10.7 billion initial public offering received a staggering response from institutional investors, Reuters has reported.
Solar supply chain trouble to ease this year, according to analyst
Wood Mackenzie has predicted solar equipment cost increases will ease back after last year saw the average cost of solar electricity rise for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region.
Japanese consortium builds lithium-air battery with energy density of 500 Wh/kg
A Japanese group has developed a storage system with potential applications in residential storage, electric vehicles, drones and Internet-of-Things devices.
The Hydrogen Stream: Australia approves $150 million hydrogen promotion program, Mitsubishi developing ammonia combustion burner in Japan
In other news, Oil India is setting up a 100 kW green hydrogen production facility in Assam, while the German government is providing €60 million for a project aimed at preparing electrolyzer technologies for industrial production at gigawatt scale.
US startup debuts energy storage system
Franklin Whole Home has developed an integrated battery and control system with artificial intelligence. It is inverter-agnostic, can be used to charge electric-vehicle batteries, and turns homes into microgrids when utility services are down.
Bringing dead lithium back to life to boost battery lifespans
Researchers at Stanford University and the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have explored the potential recovery of lost capacity in lithium batteries by using an extremely fast discharging step to reconnect an island of inactive lithium with the anode. Adding this extra step slowed the degradation of their test battery and increased its lifespan by nearly 30%.
State Grid of China switches on world’s largest pumped-hydro station
Located in China’s Hebei province, the 3.6GW facility consists of 12 reversible pump generating sets with a capacity of 300MW each and has a power generation capacity from storage of 6.612 billion kWh.
Massive deal in Israel’s growing energy storage market
China-based Sungrow has agreed to supply Israeli developer Enlight with 430MWh of its storage systems. The batteries will be used in two projects secured by Enlight in tenders held by the Israel Public Utility Authority for Electricity.
Reliance Industries to acquire sodium-ion battery provider Faradion
Reliance Industries said its solar unit will buy UK-based sodium-ion battery technology provider Faradion for GBP100 million (US$135 million) including debt, as the Indian conglomerate pushes forward with its ambitious plan to move into the renewable energy industry.
First Li-ion battery rolls off Northvolt’s Swedish production line
In what has been described as a European first, Northvolt announces that the first lithium-ion battery has rolled off the production line at its Swedish manufacturing facility in Skellefteå.
