Stanford scientists unveil new manganese-hydrogen battery for storage of wind, solar
The water-based battery relies on a reversible chemical reaction that stores electrons in the form of hydrogen gas. Despite encouraging first results, the prototype developed by the research team now needs to be further developed.
Engie and Sonnen team up on solar-plus-storage
The French energy giant and the German storage specialist will begin offering a combined solar-plus-storage solution for self-consumption on the residential French market.
Bolivia hires ACI Systems for its first lithium factory
The German company was chosen among eight bidders through an expression of interest process. It will be responsible for the construction, assembly and commissioning of a lithium manufacturing facility. The Bolivian government expects an annual income of US$1 billion.
Nigerian universities go off-grid with solar PV, storage mini-grids
Four of Nigeria’s federal universities and university teaching hospitals across the country have signed EPC contracts to develop mini-grid solutions, which will power their facilities and disconnect them from the main electricity grid. A total of 9.3 MW of PV and 5,760 battery cells will be deployed.
US: ESA lays path for 35 GW of energy storage by 2025
National trade association, the ESA has published a roadmap for the adoption of 35 GW of energy storage in the U.S., as well as outlining the benefits of such a move. pv magazine USA spoke with CEO, Kelly Speakes-Backman about storage and the challenges of state-level advocacy at ESA’s annual conference in Boston.
IEA-PVPS: Integration of solar requires improved forecasts, flexibility resources, more storage
In a new report, the association states that urgent action is required for, among other issues, the improvement of solar generation forecasts, the exploitation of storage systems, and the reduction of minimum operation and start-up times for both existing and new thermal and hydro generators.
Storage pipeline grows to 10.4 GW, installations reached 1.9 GW in 2017, finds IHS Markit
Analyst data records 53% annual growth in storage in 2017, rising to 1.9 GW as South Korea climbed to top of the tree in terms of cumulative capacity. Global project pipeline has soared to 10.4 GW.
Sterling and Wilson creates new hybrid and storage business, targets 1 GW installations
The Indian multinational EPC has this week unveiled a new global division that will focus on the development of power+storage hybrid solutions. The new unit will focus initially on lighting up remote islands and has an installation target of 1 GW.
Lithium-ion battery prices could rise as cost of cobalt shoots up, warn analysts
Price of cobalt, a raw material used in lithium-ion batteries, rose 26% in the first quarter of the year, following 114% annual increase in 2017, finds EnergyTrend. Suppliers may look at ways to lower cobalt content in new iterations, experts say.
Solar and wind plus storage to increasingly replace gas plants
A session at BNEF’s Future of Energy Summit explored how renewables paired with energy storage are successfully competing with new gas plants.
