Energy Storage

Chinese battery manufacturer BYD has launched an expanded portfolio of energy storage systems designed for the commercial and industrial solar markets. At The smarter E in Munich last month the company also provided a sneak peak at a new high-voltage storage system expected to be launched later this year.

The newly elected South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas has today launched the market sounding for its hydrogen production facility near Whyalla, as well as the introduction of legislation to regulate hydrogen production, storage and transportation. 

Melbourne-based 8 Star Energy has been announced as a distribution partner alongside Germany-based Memodo as world leading battery brand Energizer launches its Energizer Solar PV portfolio across Europe.

Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan and Energy Minister Bill Johnston were in attendance yesterday when Horizon Power and Pacific Energy officially opened the Shark Lake Renewables Hub, which features 4 MW of solar alongside wind turbines, battery energy storage and a gas power plant.

The inverter and battery manufacturer says its new Sella 2 factory will produce cells for its residential solar-plus-battery products as well as for other applications.

Western Australian energy storage company VSUN Energy has inked a deal with aspiring renewables developer North Harbour Clean Energy which will see the two companies collaborate on the development and installation of vanadium redox flow battery projects and vanadium electrolyte supply.

The Australian arm of Philippines-based clean energy company AC Energy has commenced construction of a 50MW/50MWh battery energy storage system that will be connected to its 720MW New England Solar Farm being developed near Uralla in northern New South Wales.

Green Gravity, a startup proposing to use old mine shafts for gravitational energy storage, has raised $1.4 million in its first formal capital raise. The company, headed up by former BHP executive Mark Swinnerton, is now finalising its concept engineering in preparation for its demonstration plant. “I think we’re going to get the ‘and’ here,” Swinnerton told pv magazine Australia, referring to the technology’s potential to provide low cost firming (and more) by using yesterday’s infrastructure to solve today’s problem.

Chinese inverter brand Sungrow has signed a 79 MW inverter and 176 MWh battery energy storage contract with Sydney-based hydrogen battery company Lavo. The contract will see Sungrow add its storage solution to 16 mid-scale solar farms in Victoria.

The New South Wales government has announced plans to use part of an estimated eight million square metres of public school roof space to install rooftop solar PV as it seeks to test the most effective ways to generate, store and export renewable energy into the state’s electricity grid.