In a world of low-cost batteries, performance matters
Oversupply of lithium-ion battery precursor and active materials – and of lithium ferrous-phosphate (LFP) batteries, especially in China – has driven energy storage system costs down, fueling a record 330 GWh of battery energy storage system (BESS) shipments in 2024. Edward Rackley, head of the energy storage team at Business intelligence specialist CRU shares his analysis.
Why Europe needs a battery industry
Europe may be pushing ahead with the integration of energy storage into grids, but it has struggled to compete on battery manufacturing. Gerard Reid of Alexa Capital outlines the steps that European industry and policymakers must take to establish a domestic battery supply chain.
Battery belt and road
Chinese energy storage companies have flocked to Morocco, drawn by proximity to Europe, rich phosphate reserves, and an investor-friendly government.
Battling battery imbalance
Imbalances – when battery components fail to operate in unison – are a recurring challenge in energy storage projects. Kai-Philipp Kairies, CEO of Accure Battery Intelligence, examines the root causes of imbalances, their effects on operations and return on investment, and actionable best practices to mitigate them.
A battery of reasons for optimism
The ability of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to leverage solar power as the energy and transportation sectors converge will only drive more battery demand, says Tim Buckley, director of Climate Energy Finance (CEF), an Australia-based think tank.
Making revenues stack up
Poor profitability for daytime solar generation is driving a likely paradigm shift, argues Michael Salomon. The president of energy storage consultancy Clean Horizon says Europe needs more than market signals to keep investors interested in renewables and storage.
EVs and European grids
Climate change mitigation and energy security are driving European efforts to decarbonize transport, but the sector’s emissions and oil dependency are rising despite electric vehicle (EV) uptake. Carrie Hampel explores how Europe is aligning transport needs with energy capacity.
The USAID crisis
Taking apart the US Agency for International Development (USAID) could deprive African governments in dire need of solar energy expertise, over and above the loss of crucial grant funding schemes,
as Max Hall reports.
What Germany can learn from British BESS
The United Kingdom is arguably Europe’s most mature battery energy storage market, with asset owners free to build revenue stacks from grid ancillary services, a capacity market, wholesale markets, and a revamped balancing platform. Baris Serifsoy of GreenCap Partners examines how the British experience can inform Germany’s energy storage sector.
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