microgrid

Lithium ion battery technology continues to hog the limelight, powered by the growing demand for the battery chemistry from the EV sector. But long established lead acid batteries also have a future, argues Alistair Davidson, the Director of the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI).

The Australian arm of German energy storage provider Senec has welcomed Mark Keogh as a shareholder and member of the board of directors. Keogh is the founder and CEO of UON, a WA-based provider of turnkey power, air and water solutions to the mining and resources industry.

Six Aboriginal communities in WA’s Kimberley will see 400-600 kW solar arrays installed, supplanting diesel electricity generation. The program will be rolled out by Horizon Power, and ams to reduce the subsidy paid to the regional utility for the provision of power to remote sites. 

A grant of nearly $1 million has been announced for a 100% renewable energy project which will see the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest reduce its reliance on diesel fuel to generate power.

In the run-up to the May federal election, thirteen farmer and irrigator groups have come up with a list of policy requests to put a downward pressure on electricity prices and preserve the sector’s competitiveness. Among other things, the groups have called for more government support for solar PV and battery storage installed on site, and removal of barriers to connecting on-farm generation to the grid.

Following Carnegie Clean Energy’s voluntary administration, the administrators have revealed the bids its solar microgrid arm managed to attract. Meanwhile, a plan to restructure the company’s core wave power business has been approved by creditors, along with a decision to liquidate the EMC business.

While lithium ion or even flow battery projects continue to dominate headlines, a report published today has highlighted the continuing role being played by lead acid battery storage. The report from the U.S.-based Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI) illustrates how lead-acid batteries are being applied to a wide range of applications, and use cases, today.

Significant progress has been reported on the feasibility study which aims to progress the establishment of a 15 GWh lithium-ion battery factory in Townsville. The study is conducted by the Imperium3 Townsville consortium.

Construction has been completed on the Solar Energy Transformation Program (SETuP), which has been touted as Australia’s largest rollout of solar power to remote communities to date.

From four to 24 hours: before solar and storage, the 160 households on a Philippine had electricity for only four hours each day. This had negative impacts on the economic development of the islands. With support from the ADB, the island inhabitants now have 24 hour supply of clean energy, and new billing methods that suit the economic realities of poorer households.