The Long Game – 02-2023
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Exploring lithium titanate promise
No single battery chemistry can provide the storage solution to even out the growing renewable energy supply, but one promising option is lithium titanate (LTO) batteries. Marija Maisch sat down with Garrett Woodroof, general manager of Villara Energy Systems, to discuss the technology that secured pv magazine’s annual battery energy storage system award.
Feb 08, 2023
What PV installers expect in 2023
Solar module prices continued to fall in January, and there is no end in sight. The main drivers impacting prices are lower shipping rates from China and the further recovery of the euro-US dollar exchange rate. Martin Schachinger of pvXchange expects other effects, such as slowly falling energy costs or polysilicon and wafer prices, which are in freefall, to further strengthen the trend in the coming months.
Feb 08, 2023
Semi-solid means savings on battery cost
The production of lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries is a complex and costly affair, with many opportunities for improvement. US-based 24M Technologies is working with several manufacturing partners to ramp up the processing of its semi-solid battery design, which promises significant savings in equipment, processing and material costs. pv magazine met with the company’s co-founder and chief scientist, Yet-Ming Chiang, to discuss the technology and its route to market.
Feb 08, 2023
Going big on batteries
Australia’s Labor government has promised to underwrite big battery project revenues. The nation’s clean energy association has coughed up AUD 120 million ($84.5 million) for eight sites as policymakers draw inspiration from the moves that prompted the solar boom. But it’s not all sunny in battery land Down Under, as Bella Peacock reports.
Feb 08, 2023
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In pictures: pv magazine Awards ceremony
The BOS [balance-of-system] equipment trophy was awarded to EKO Instruments Managing Director Kees Hoogendijk, right, by pv magazine Senior Editor Emiliano Bellini, for the company’s MS-80SH pyranometer. Kevin Keene, founder of Brighten Haiti, poses with the sustainability trophy. The US-based organization was awarded for […]
Feb 08, 2023
Shaping the EU battery value chain
The new EU Batteries Regulation is a blueprint for product legislation, regulating the whole life cycle of batteries in the European Union. Kinga Timaru-Kast, director of communications for the Recharge advanced rechargeable and lithium batteries association, says that successful implementation of the new regulation requires the prioritization of safety, information reliability, feasibility, market surveillance, and enforcement.
Feb 08, 2023
Into thin air
Before invading Ukraine, Russia wanted to become a global hydrogen superpower, with 20% of the global market this decade. The nation is now ostracized in the West and investors are fleeing renewables, but Russia may still have a few aces up its sleeve, as Ian Skarytovsky reports.
Feb 08, 2023
Battery supply chain state of health
As the US Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act demonstrated, companies preparing to spend big on batteries are at risk of being blindsided by supply-chain-related legislation. Raiene Santana and Andreas Savva, from solar and storage supply chain specialist Clean Energy Associates, offer some tips on how US developers can anticipate policy curveballs.
Feb 08, 2023
Pump up the batteries, Joe!
The US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is set to ignite the energy storage market in 2024, as analysts expect up to 65 GW/260 GWh of projects through 2026. The outlook is for battery project sizes to increase as the pipeline takes shape, reports pv magazine USA’s Michael Schoeck.
Feb 08, 2023
Invest to save: Rising residential battery demand
The residential energy storage sector experienced profound change in 2022, reports Susan Taylor, analyst for S&P Global. Record high electricity prices and ongoing restrictions on Russian gas supply have dramatically changed the way consumers view their energy consumption. Installing a battery and solar allows consumers to take control of their energy bills, reduce their exposure to future volatility, and lower their environmental impact.
Feb 08, 2023
Falling prices, rising demand
In January, the Invesco Solar ETF, an exchange-traded fund that tracks the MAC Global Solar Energy Index, outperformed relative to the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Roth Capital’s Jesse Pichel puts this down to big investments in US solar manufacturing and strong demand on both sides of the Atlantic.
Feb 08, 2023
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. Sergio Matalucci takes a look at the market.
Feb 08, 2023
Energy storage shipments top 140 GWh
Global shipments of battery cells for the stationary energy storage market surpassed 140 GWh in 2022, up 200% from 2021. Contemporary Amperex Technology Ltd. (CATL) accounted for more than 40% of the market, leaving other manufacturers far behind. Fellow Chinese players BYD and Eve Energy took second and third place, respectively, while South Korea’s Samsung SDI was pushed down to fourth, says Yuan Fang-wei, an analyst for InfoLink.
Feb 08, 2023
Vanadium’s role in a just transition
The deployment of a vanadium flow battery at a fire station run by Native Americans illustrates the role that the energy storage technology can play in ensuring that nobody is disadvantaged by the shift away from fossil fuels, as Invinity’s Matt Harper explains.
Feb 08, 2023
Do longer durations mean less li-ion?
Long-duration energy storage (LDES) systems, generally defined as storing eight or more hours of energy, are widely expected to be necessary to reach energy transition goals. Flexible forms of fossil fuel energy, such as gas peaking plants, are currently used to manage the intermittent peaks and troughs of renewable energy generation. However, these will need to be replaced with a zero-carbon alternative. Everoze partner David Thomason investigates the alternatives to lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries that may provide long-duration services.
Feb 08, 2023
A battery of dilemmas
A surge of community battery trials in Australia is seeking to make better use of the country’s vast distributed solar resource. But the results so far have battered expectations. pv magazine Australia’s Natalie Filatoff and Bella Peacock explore the motivations, challenges, and outlook for sharing and monetizing solar rooftop riches.
Feb 08, 2023
Dawn of the store-age
Last year was another landmark 12 months for energy storage, with all indicators pointing to a massive surge in demand. Supply chain instability and inflation saw battery prices rise, but the industry demonstrated an ability to swiftly react to geopolitical developments. Marija Maisch examines five trends driving the market.
Feb 08, 2023
MENA renewables outlook is no mirage
With the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region set for a second consecutive COP climate summit in the United Arab Emirates in November, pv magazine’s Blake Matich sat down with Apricum MENA director Krzysztof Ignaciuk at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) to discuss the regional outlook.
Feb 08, 2023
Charging to sustainability
Not all batteries are created equal when it comes to end of life, recycling, and sustainability. The Global Electronics Council (GEC) has a leading role in providing ecolabels for solar modules and inverters, but to do the same for batteries is particularly tricky, as acting CEO Carl Smith explains.
Feb 08, 2023
First come, first served
The year 2022 was a watershed 12 months for energy storage and the massive increase in demand has left everyone clamoring for more. Scaling up supply proved to be a challenge and batteries became almost impossible to get hold of. Despite the unprecedented reverse in the historic pattern of battery-pack price declines, analysts at BloombergNEF […]
Feb 08, 2023
Bem-vindo Brasil
The acceleration of PV deployment in Brazil has been breathtaking and, with a large industrial base, the Latin American economic powerhouse could see growth in its solar and battery manufacturing industries. pv magazine Brasil will be charting this ongoing expansion with on-the-ground reporting.
Feb 08, 2023
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. Blake Matich asks whether any of the new technologies can punch above their weight.
Feb 08, 2023
