microgrid

Construction has commenced on an off-grid solar PV and battery energy storage system which will help power Australian-headquartered resource major BHP’s estimated $1 billion Nickel West mining operation in regional Western Australia.

SDG&E and Sumitomo Electric complete a pilot microgrid project in California that successfully powered utility customers solely with energy stored in a flow battery.

Researchers in Portugal have tested how vanadium redox flow batteries can be integrated with rooftop PV to balance the system load to ensure firm power output. They proposed a 5 kW/60 kWh battery configuration for a 6.7 kW building-integrated PV microgrid. According to their findings, the battery can be used in different energy management strategy scenarios to better complement solar photovoltaic generation.

Remote power generation specialist Zenith Energy will build upon its renewable energy options at Western Australian miner IGO’s Nova nickel site to demonstrate it is possible to use 100% renewables to meet the demands of an operational mine site.

Lavo’s hydrogen battery technology has found monetary support from both Australian and international investors in the last year, as well as public support which has continued this week with the announcement by the New South Wales government of $5 million in funding from the Regional Job Creation Fund to boost hydrogen manufacturing jobs in the Hunter Region.

Solar PV is helping power the world’s largest zircon mine with Western Australian-based independent power producer KPS Power Generation announcing it has completed the conversion of miner Iluka Resources’ 10 MW diesel-fuelled power station at the Jacinth-Ambrosia mineral sands operation in South Australia into a hybrid facility.

Korea Zinc, non-ferrous metal smelting company, has agreed to invest $50 million in Energy Vault, a Switzerland-based gravity storage specialist, in order to use its tech to decarbonise its refining and smelting operations in Australia.

Recent research from Thailand has shown that solar-plus-storage on floating platforms could be the cheapest option to power energy-intensive aeration systems in aquaculture projects. The battery accounts for around 54% of the capital costs, which is why system sizing would be key for economic viability.

Reliance Industries said its solar unit will buy UK-based sodium-ion battery technology provider Faradion for GBP100 million (AUD$187 million) including debt, as the Indian conglomerate pushes forward with its ambitious plan to move into the renewable energy industry.

Brisbane-based flow battery company Redflow has completed its single biggest installation to date, a 2 MWh storage system in California for biowaste technology firm Anaergia.