Weekend Read: A battery worth its salt
While lithium ion battery prices are falling again, interest in sodium ion (Na-ion) energy storage has not waned. With a global ramp-up of cell manufacturing capacity under way, it remains unclear whether this promising technology can tip the scales on supply and demand.
The Hydrogen Stream: Nikola beats expectations for hydrogen vehicle sales
Nikola, via the Hyla brand, produced 43 Class 8 Nikola hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles and wholesaled 40 of them in the first quarter of 2024, while Snam awarded Baker Hughes a contract to provide three hydrogen-ready gas turbine-driven compressor trains for a new gas compressor station in Italy.
SolarEdge acquires EV charging optimization and management startup
Wevo Energy becomes a subsidiary of SolarEdge, and together the companies plan to integrate the Wevo’s software solution into the SolarEdge ONE energy optimization system for the commercial and industrial (C&I) segment.
Bluetti releases 2.4 kW portable power station
Bluetti has unveiled a new portable, weatherproof power station featuring a lithium iron phosphate battery with 1,536 Wh of power capacity and a rated output of 2,400 W.
US government funds pilot project for heated sand energy storage
The US Department of Energy is funding a pilot project to demonstrate the commercial viability of storing energy in heated sand, which is capable of producing 135 MW of power for five days.
Daikin presents modular water-to-water heat pumps
The Japanese manufacturer said its new heat pump line features a modular approach to system design. The new products are available with capacities of 100 kW, 125 kW and 160 kW and can reportedly achieve a water output temperature of 60 C.
Polar Night Energy secures €7.6 million to scale-up sand battery technology
The Finnish startup says the funding will go towards several key purposes, including growing its sales and R&D teams and advancing capabilities in converting stored heat back to electricity.
Residential heat pumps linked to solar-plus-storage achieve higher seasonal performance factor
Researchers at Germany’s Frauhofer ISE have analyzed the performance of a residential heat pump connected to a rooftop PV system relying on battery storage and have found that this combination significantly improves the performance of the heat pump while also increasing considerably the solar array’s self-consumption rate.
The Hydrogen Stream: Stadler finalizes longest hydrogen train test
Stadler says it has wrapped up a hydrogen train test, while Ballard has secured a long-term agreement to supply 1,000 hydrogen fuel cell engines through 2027.
Huawei debuts storage solution for residential PV
Huawei says its new, all-in-one storage solution for residential PV comes in three versions with one, two, or three battery modules, offering 6.9 kWh to 20.7 kWh of usable energy.
