Global storage growth of 4.6% in 2017 reflects patchy state of sector, finds BNEF
Despite hitting a record 1.17 GW of new grid-scale storage capacity in 2017, growth was a mere 4.6% on 2016 having surged 61% the year prior. Industry’s reliance on policy support means foundations for growth remain uneven, report finds. Average costs, however, fell by 24% last year.
MLPE steps out from the shade
Gavin Merchant from SolarEdge Australia and New Zealand speaks to pv magazine Australia about the growing acceptance of module-level power electronics across all solar market segments. The rise of storage is also bringing new opportunities.
Five questions for SA’s virtual power plant
The proposed 50,000 home virtual power plant launched by the South Australian state government, in partnership with Tesla, is a big deal. But it does beg a number of questions as to how it will be realized and what the implications of the project could be.
South Australia, Tesla partner for $800 million virtual power plant
South Australia could play host to the world’s largest deployment of residential solar+storage in the form of a virtual power plant. The scheme, announced by SA Premier Jay Weatherill on the election campaign trail, could see 250 MW of rooftop PV and 650 MWh of battery storage added to 50,000 homes over 4.5 years.
Australia must not miss lithium chance
Issuing a call for action, a report commissioned by the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies outlines Australia’s opportunity to expand along the estimated $2 trillion lithium chain in the next two years.
Fronius releases new generation of storage kits for Australian market
The Austrian inverter specialist is launching a new version of its Energy Package upgraded with storage units from LG Chem.
Tesla shows interest in Chilean lithium
The head of the Chilean Economic Development Agency (Corfo), Eduardo Bitran says that Tesla may partner with local lithium producer SQM in the construction of a factory. The Chilean government and SQM have recently settled a dispute that began in 2014.
Clean Energy Regulator: small-scale solar+storage installation rate doubled in 2017
The number of battery storage systems being installed alongside PV doubled in 2017. The latest data from the Clean Energy Regulator shows that 3,763 battery storage systems were installed alongside a small-scale PV array, up from 1,566 in 2016.
Battery storage challenges: Materials, longevity and project management
An academic event held last week in the U.K. presenting the results of two major research projects on energy storage provided an update on the current and future directions of battery storage technology and development.
Builder entices home buyers with free solar+storage packages
Victorian homebuilder Porter Davis has announced its plans to equip 50 new knockdown rebuild homes in Victoria with the Bradford Solar ChargePack, which comes with free solar panels and a Tesla Powerwall 2 battery, offering a chance to new home owners to insulate their households against rising power prices.
