International players look to revive British battery gigafactory
Just weeks after announcing its intent to build a AUD 300 million ($210 million) lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Australia, Recharge Industries has reportedly joined a host of other bidders considering the revival of collapsed UK battery company Britishvolt. Investment could also revive plans to construct a battery cell gigafactory in northern England.
New lithium iron phosphate batteries for rooftop solar
V-Tac’s new 10 kWh lithium iron phosphate, wall-mounting battery system purportedly runs for more than 5,000 cycles.
Second-life batteries might beat new ones on solar LCOE in remote locations
UK scientists have discovered that second-life batteries could provide a lower levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) than conventional batteries in school buildings equipped with PV in East African schools. They said the cheapest system configuration uses either 7.5 kW or 10 kW of solar with 20 kWh of storage.
Consumers have a right to know the energy make-up of goods
With energy certification already a must-have for any business which makes green energy claims, Ed Everson, chief executive of England-based, global certification company Evident, makes the case for firms to be required to make full disclosure of their energy sources.
Lithium sulfur flow battery with 250 Wh/L energy density
Edinburgh-based energy storage solutions specialist StorTera has developed a long-duration, energy-dense, lithium-sulfur-based single liquid flow battery (SLIQ). The tech is said to last for 30 years with minimal degradation.
Gravitricity to deploy prototype underground hydrogen storage system
Gravitricity, an Edinburgh-based storage specialist, aims to develop the first full-scale demonstration of its underground hydrogen storage solution by working with structural engineering contractor VSL Systems UK.
SolarEdge to acquire energy analytics specialist Hark Systems
SolarEdge is set to fully acquire Hark Systems, a UK-based smart energy technology firm.
A closer look at potential-induced degradation in solar cells
UK scientists have examined the impacts of potential-induced degradation (PID) in solar cells and modules, based on a field study from a 1.2 MW PV system in Spain. Meanwhile, in a separate study, scientists in Japan have created a model for one of the less-investigated PID mechanisms, creating a model of its progress that will be useful in future research and mitigation efforts.
New method brings durability of perovskite solar cells closer to silicon
Researchers from the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia have reportedly developed a perovskite solar cell with comparable stability and durability to commercial silicon PV cells. They used a high-temperature processing method with dimethylammonium chloride to control the intermediate phases of perovskite crystallization.
Next year will bring micro and mega grids
This year has witnessed upheaval in the global energy system as inflation, geopolitical conflict, and the reality of a changing climate continue to drive the transition to cleaner energy. Next year, these trends are likely to continue and accelerate as renewable energy adoption continues to grow and the inextricable link between energy security and national security is increasingly recognized. Alan Greenshields, of US-based iron-salt flow battery maker ESS Inc, offers four predictions for 2023.
