Energy Storage

Extensive load-shedding, lack of grid capacity, failing coal-fired power stations, lack of progress in clean power procurement, and even vandalism have prompted various South African government departments to take renewables generation into their own hands, seemingly without any overarching plan, as Bryan Groenendaal reports.

As the US and British government press ahead with their hydrogen support projects, a team from Korea and the US has developed an iridium nanostructure catalyst, which decreased the amount of the chemical element. Meanwhile, hydrogen projects are proceeding in West Virginia, Denmark, Finland, and Japan.

NTPC has invited an expression of interest to supply, design, install, and commission a mechanical energy storage system at its Talcher Thermal Power station in Odisha. The project is intended for demonstration purposes.

Solar Energy Corp. of India (SECI) has launched a tender to select developers for 800 MW of firm, dispatchable power from renewable energy projects with storage systems. Bidding closes on Sept. 29.

Indian scientists have suggested building pumped-hydro storage systems connected to solar plants using mines as the lower reservoir and nearby rivers as the upper reservoir. They claim that the proposed combination may reach a levelized cost of energy of $0.2693/kWh.

Australian renewables company Pacific Energy has powered up the first of four solar-fuelled hybrid power plants being rolled out at Westgold Resources’ mining operations in Western Australia.

ITM Power says it has restructured its business to shift its focus from hydrogen refueling to PEM electrolysis tech, while Stahlwerk Thüringen and gas network operator Ferngas have agreed to connect the Unterwellenborn steel mill in Germany to a hydrogen network by 2027.

Iberdrola has started filling the reservoir for the Alto Tâmega reservoir, which is part of the largest pumped hydroelectric storage project in Portugal.

Minera Exar has started to extract lithium from the Salar Cauchari-Olaroz mine in Argentina, with part of its energy supply coming from the 100 MW Zonda solar farm, which is owned by oil producer YPF Luz.

A research team has developed OHP-based photoanodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting, minimizing the usual limitations. Meanwhile, China released its first hydrogen guideline, and Germany announced €18.6 billion for the hydrogen industry. Finally, a German company finds out that hydrogen trains are more expensive than battery-operated vehicles.