Energy Storage

Imperatives meet opportunity. Corporate and utility goals for sustainability are driving a new group of investors to pick up the Australian renewable-energy resource and run with it. A new PwC report outlines how the new investor-developer partnerships could work.

China’s efforts to shift electricity generation from a coal-dominated system to a greener mix of renewables is not only centred on wind, solar and other technologies – the country is also rapidly pursuing energy storage. Vincent Shaw reports from Shanghai.

As technology redefines the delivery of network services, grid operators in remote areas the world over are searching for more cost-effective and reliable alternatives to traditional poles and wires. Standalone power systems are the solar application that is at the forefront of the switch, and they’re ramping up fast.

Victorian distribution network provider United Energy will deploy 40 custom-built community batteries across Melbourne’s southeast as part of an $11 million project designed to better manage the increasing penetration of rooftop solar PV and periods of peak demand on the network.

Residents in the West Australian town of Kalbarri are set to welcome the state’s largest renewable energy microgrid with state government-owned utility Western Power confirming commissioning and an operational trial of the hybrid system is due to commence next month.

Australian electricity gen-tailer EnergyAustralia is exploring the benefits of microgrid technology, teaming with property developer Villawood Properties to establish a solar PV-powered microgrid community in Melbourne’s north that could see residents reduce their power bills by more than 50%.

The Australian government’s green bank has reaffirmed its intent to evolve beyond investing in solar and wind, expanding its focus to include green hydrogen, energy storage and transmission projects after finalising a string of investment firsts in the past 12 months.

With large-scale battery developments emerging as an increasingly important component of Australia’s energy mix, India-headquartered multinational Sterling and Wilson Solar has revealed plans to expand its renewable energy offerings to include providing engineering, procurement and construction solutions for energy storage projects.

Researchers at Monash University have published a new study in which high voltage lithium batteries, such as those used in electric vehicles and grid scale energy storage systems, are tested with a novel lithium salt shown to be far less hazardous than current conventional materials.

Three PhD students from Melbourne are moving their research into recycling lithium-ion batteries from the labs into pitch meetings, vying to become one of the first companies in Australia to recover the metals and minerals from spent batteries. Their method, they say, is simpler, less toxic and more cost competitive than those widely used.