Storage

A US-Chinese research group has built a perovskite solar cell with a hole-transporting material (HTM) based on conducting polyaniline (PANI) polymer. The device showed significantly higher efficiency than a reference solar cell relying on an HTM made of commonly used PEDOT:PSS.

Researchers in Russia have developed a new sodium-vanadium phosphate fluoride powder. It has a particular crystal structure that provides superior energy storage capacity in the battery cathode.

Australian startup Hysata is seeking to commercialize a breakthrough made at the University of Wollongong which CEO Paul Barrett describes as a “brand new category of electrolyzer” with 95% system efficiency.

Peak solar production does not coincide with peak heating demand, and a team of researchers determined that meeting this demand with renewables alone will require massive deployment of renewables on top of existing fossil generation.

Scientists in Denmark have developed a storage technology that utilizes large underground water balloons and the pressure of the soil to activate a turbine to generate power. They are currently building a first 10 m x 10 m demonstrator to select critical technologies related to the membrane and to the construction of the “movable hill” that will form the terrain part of the battery.

Chinese manufacturer Bslbatt has unveiled an upgraded version of its residential battery. The device has a storage capacity ranging from 5.12 to 12.8 kWh and is reportedly able to provide steady operation for up to 6,000 charge cycles.

Egypt is taking several steps to support renewable and hydrogen projects, aiming to produce 42% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. Meanwhile, a team of researchers led by UCLA developed a method for predicting platinum alloys’ potency and stability; Iberdrola and bp are working on strategic collaboration, including large-scale green hydrogen production hubs in Spain, Portugal and the UK.

Having established a strong foothold in the Australian market with its solar PV panels, Chinese manufacturer JinkoSolar is now seeking to expand its influence in the energy storage space with the launch of its modular Suntank home battery storage system.

Both the battery and the PV system are due to begin commercial operations in 2024.

FutraHeat has designed a heat pump that can operate at reduced speeds without oil, recover waste heat from as low as 70 C, and deliver high-grade heat up to 150 C. The electrically powered heat pump utilizes waste heat from all sorts of industrial processes, including drying, distillation, and brewing.