Weekend Read: Light weight
When it comes to gravity batteries, pumped-hydro storage is the gold standard, but its cost and topography-specific limitations are driving innovations ranging from freight-train braking to super-dense liquids. We consider whether any of the new technologies can punch above their weight.
Hybridizing photovoltaics with liquid air energy storage
An international group of researchers has designed a new hybrid photovoltaic-liquid air energy storage (PV-LAES) system. Their economic evaluation for the proposed 2 MW PV-LAES project showed that the investment payback period can be within 10 years, and the accumulated net profit can reach up to $2.2 million from a life-cycle perspective.
Second-life EV batteries as grid-scale storage
Smartville has secured $5.9 million from the US Department of Energy to scale its second-life battery program.
UK power capacity auctions turbocharging battery storage sector
Battery energy storage saw a major increase in contracted capacity in British auctions this year, with many utility-scale projects securing long-term deals. The business case, however, is not as strong for all storage durations.
Storing solar power by incinerating metals
Scientists in Sweden have proposed the use of excess wind and solar power to incinerate metals such as aluminum and iron, in order to produce heat that could be used to generate electricity or hydrogen.
Australian startup buys Britishvolt
Startup Recharge Industries has acquired collapsed battery producer Britishvolt, just weeks after announcing plans to build a lithium-ion battery gigafactory in Australia.
India tenders 1 GW of pumped hydro storage, 200 MW of solar
Karnataka Ltd. has started accepting bids to develop up to 1 GW of pumped hydro storage, while Assam Power Distribution has revealed plans to procure 200 MW of PV capacity.
Weekend Read: All of the above
Competition is intensifying in the electrolyzer space. With the International Energy Agency (IEA) expecting 380 GW of hydrogen production capacity in 2030, four different technologies will likely become prominent as demand spikes. We take a look at the market.
CATL offers big battery discounts amid looming lithium surplus
CATL’s new lithium pricing structure gives Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEM) an effective discount of more than 20%. It is making the move to win more orders amid a slowdown in the electric-vehicle market and the ongoing efforts of cell manufacturers to secure raw materials.
Pumped hydro key to meeting storage demand
Pumped hydro energy storage can be readily scaled to any required storage capacity at a known and affordable cost.
