Batteries

For short-term storage in a 100% renewables grid, thermal energy storage located at concentrating solar power plants could compete with batteries, according to a new study using an idealized grid model. Seasonal storage needs could best be met with power-to-gas-to-power technology.

The Slate solar and storage project began development in 2015 and is now one of the largest facilities of its kind in California.

A unit of Enel plans to deploy 5MW/10MWh of second-life batteries at Rome-Fiumicino International Airport, where a 30MW solar park is now under development. The modular storage system will include different second-life lithium-ion batteries, mainly based on nickel, manganese and cobalt chemistry, with usable storage capacity ranging from 10kWh to 25kWh.

The funds were taken from the country’s National Recovery Plan in an effort to reduce energy dependence on Russia. A call to select eligible projects will be launched on March 22. Solar-plus-storage projects will also be entitled to participate.

A US-Chinese research group has developed a full chlorine membrane-free redox flow battery that is claimed to achieve a round-trip energy efficiency of 91% at 10 mA/cm2 and an energy density of 125.7 Wh/L. The device is based on an aqueous electrolyte made of sodium chloride (NaCl) which uses chlorine (Cl2/Cl−) redox couple as the active material for the positive electrode.

A multibillion-dollar solar, battery storage, wind and potentially green hydrogen project in the Australian state of Victoria is moving forward after securing backing from the Hostplus superannuation fund. The planned project is owned by Octopus Australia, under its joint venture with Clean Energy Finance Corp.

The Chinese manufacturer has presented new products based on its lithium-iron phosphate battery technology. Their capacity ranges from 10.6 to 639.6kWh.

Sun Cable’s ambitious plans to build the world’s largest solar PV and battery energy storage project in Australia’s remote far north are a step closer to fruition after two of the nation’s richest men provided support for a AUD 210 million ($152.2 million) capital raise.

A look at the interconnection queue of California’s grid operator shows that the US state’s market has already shifted to batteries – sometimes with solar, and sometimes without.

The German battery manufacturer said this week its residential storage systems were automatically switched to a regulated stand-by mode in Germany. The background to the remote shutdown is three reports of explosions in houses in which Senec products were installed.