Distributed Storage

A panel of experts debated how plausible it is for Australia to enter the battery manufacturing space, and acting-CEO of one of the only companies to produce lithium hydroxide in Australia, IGO, discussed the acute challenges of setting up a refinery onshore during the WA Renewables and Critical Minerals Superpower Summit on Monday.

In two to three years, the number of DER control devices plugged into Australia’s national grid are predicted to hit critical mass, bringing with it the potential for wide-scale ramifications in the event of a successful cyberattack. The second in a two part series, pv magazine Australia outlines what the consequences could involve.

Australia’s world-leading uptake of distributed energy resources introduces potential new entry points to the grid, ushering in a legion of complex and novel cybersecurity considerations. The first in a two-part series, pv magazine Australia talks to experts about at what’s being done in this rapidly evolving landscape and where vulnerabilities lay.

China’s Bslbatt says its new batteries have 10.24 kWh of storage capacity and a nominal voltage of 51.2 V. It measures 700 mm x 980 mm and is 100 mm thick.

Sydney company Key Energy has installed a three-phase flywheel energy storage system at a residence east of Perth, WA. The 8 kW / 32 kWh system was installed over two days in an above-ground enclosure, dramatically cutting the time needed to install the flywheel system.

SolarEdge’s new bidirectional DC-coupled electric-vehicle (EV) charger enables vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid applications and can seamlessly integrate with its home energy systems. It is scheduled for release in the second half of 2024.

Australian battery material start-up Sicona Battery Technologies will accelerate commercial development plans both here and in the United States after securing financial support from a group of international investing heavyweights for its silicon-composite anode technology designed to improve the performance of lithium-ion batteries.

Brisbane-based Li-S Energy has developed a 20-layer battery cell utilising semi-solid state lithium sulfur battery technology. The company claims the new cell displays nearly double the gravimetric energy density and a comparable volumetric energy density to lithium-ion cells.

Despite their promise, adoption rates of Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) in Australia have been underwhelming. Head of Renewable Energy Finance at Plenti, Louis Edwards, says the issue stems from VPP operator’s overlooking their point of sale. “It’s too much risk the installer takes and they don’t do it,” he tells pv magazine Australia.

GemLife, which describes itself as “luxury resort living for the over-50s,” has set up its own Virtual Power Plant (VPP), and is set to invest $75 million in coming years to rollout the VPPs across more than 10,000 homes in its property portfolio on Australia’s east coast.