Grids & Integration

More than 100 free storage systems will given to residential and commercial users to maximize utilization rates of storage systems while reducing costs for grid operators. The algorithms behind the technology would improve the supply situation and shave peak demand.

The car manufacturer is deploying its second island project this year. Smart EV charging – and second-life EV batteries for stationary storage – are expected to help increase self-consumption, reduce carbon footprints and improve energy independence. The news comes amid a rising uptake of EVs in Europe.

The application of IoT, tapping, and analytics of big data, and much hyped applications like blockchain are making an impact on the solar PV sector and related devices, and also their interactions with the grid. But software has played an important role in the evolution of our industry dating back some 30 years.

As EV adoption rates pick up pace, oil companies are looking to invest in the technology to maintain their position in the transport sector. Total has moved for G2mobility, which develops interconnected EV chargers that, using a web platform, provide smart energy management services.

Renewable energy sources, notably solar and wind, are reaching price and performance parity on and off the grid, shows a report from accountancy firm Deloitte, highlighting seven trends that are driving this transformation.

Twelve signatories from the energy and consumer goods industry have sent an open letter to the EU and U.K., calling for continued cooperation after Brexit to protect both consumer, and business, interests. The document highlights the importance of tariff-free electricity trading as intermittent renewable energy will require a higher degree of market integration.

The first round of Ireland’s newly introduced Enduring Connection Policy – 1 (ECP-1), introduced at the beginning of the year, has resulted in considerable success for solar PV and battery storage, with the technologies clearly outcompeting various forms of gas-fired generation, biomass, and wind energy.

According to the German solar trade association, BSW-Solar the number of energy storage systems in Germany is set to double in two years. Already, politicians recognize the increasing relevance storage has, in light of the progressing energy transition.

Although lobbyists will be dismayed a 1 GW annual cap on PV will remain, the indications are it will disappear after 2030 – if not before – and renewables appear to have become a more attractive proposition than nuclear, as coal is phased out.

The market experienced strong growth in nearly all states. Scandinavian countries lead the charge, but Germany showed strong growth in the first half of 2018, analysts report. An uptake in EV sales might result in profound effects on their use as flexible storage units, recent reports and interviews suggest.