Already a sizeable market, much larger opportunities are influencing the development of new energy storage technologies to meet complex and diverse storage demands, including renewable and decentralized energy production and electric vehicle/transportation infrastructure. According to Pike Research, in 2015 the total market value for smart energy and smart energy storage combined will be $420 billion, an increase of 90% in a four-year period.
This decision is a result of consultation with many of the associations members, including a survey earlier this year. Collectively PV equipment vendors have extensive expertise and knowledge acquired from designing tools for mass manufacturing across a diverse range of high-tech industries, including flat panel displays (FPD), LEDs, semiconductor packaging, automotive and pharmaceutical packaging. This know-how can play a vital role in reducing the cost of energy storage technologies and products. Several of IPVEAs members, such as ABB, Manz, Jonas & Redmann, Oerlikon, Reis Robotics and Applied Materials, are developing tools for energy storage device production.
IPVEAs Managing Director, Bryan Ekus, states, We all understand how to harvest energy from the sun, but storing this energy is the missing piece of the puzzle for the renewable energy marketplace.
IPVEA is well placed to leverage its extensive partnerships network, encompassing providers of conferences & exhibitions, news & media and market intelligence, to assist its members in finding out information on energy storage/smart grid markets, technologies and applications.
By joining forces with key partners serving the energy storage industry, such as associations, IPVEA will be able to provide new networking opportunities, explore PV and energy storage market synergies and open up the association to new members, building a stronger platform and centralised voice for the PV and energy storage equipment industries.
