Batteries

Artificial intelligence can accelerate the planning, construction, and operation of photovoltaic systems, as shown at the recent Solar Quality Summit in Barcelona, Spain. But its effectiveness depends on data quality, as poor data, unclear responsibilities, and weak documentation can become major cost drivers.

The inverters offer up to 99.2% efficiency, 200% PV oversizing, dual battery inputs, IP65 protection, and support for installations up to 144 kWh of storage capacity.

Following their review of redox flow battery research, Norway-based scientists told pv magazine that despite its high upfront capital costs and lower energy density relative to metal-ion, the technology can offer safety, reliability, and scalability advantages for standalone, large-scale applications.

Mexico is attracting US data centers seeking faster power connections, but these facilities will initially rely on firm gas generation from the Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE), with renewables as a potential future option, Mexican energy expert Santiago Barcón told pv magazine.

The silicon batteries developed by the Spanish startup Silbat are spearheading the Research and Analysis of Long-Duration Energy Storage for Operational Resilience in Critical Military Infrastructures (ARMIC) project, covering Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7 to 8.

Brazil has opened consultations on its PDE 2035 energy plan, which projects 107 GW of solar by 2035 – including 78 GW of distributed generation – with battery storage reaching 7 GW, or 2% of the power mix.

Japanese researchers used supercomputer simulations to reveal how sodium ions form clusters and move within hard carbon anodes, identifying nanopore sizes and transition regions that control diffusion and rate performance in sodium-ion batteries. Their findings offer design guidelines for optimizing hard-carbon anodes to improve energy density, cycling, and commercialization prospects.

RenewaFLEXNL, a three-year Dutch initiative led by TNO, aims to accelerate long‑duration energy storage (8–100 h) to reduce grid congestion and better integrate renewable energy. pv magazine spoke with the project coordinator, Iraxte Gonzalez Aparicio, about diverse storage technologies, real-world applications, regulatory guidance, and energy management system tools to support large-scale solar‑plus‑storage deployment in the Netherlands and beyond.

New research finds that battery safety rankings are not universal but highly dependent on application scenarios, and shows that LFP batteries can emit high levels of hydrogen fluoride, challenging their reputation as the “safest” chemistry.

The Germany battery manufacturer is expanding its portfolio with a modularly scalable LFP storage solution featuring a new energy management system. The new product comes with the company’s proprietary “Varta.iq” software, which is designed to detect consumption anomalies, integrate dynamic electricity tariffs, and enable bidirectional charging.