Energy Storage

The Western Australian coastal town of Kalbarri can now be powered by an entirely renewable energy solution utilising rooftop solar and wind generation coupled with battery storage with state government-owned utility Western Power confirming the state’s largest renewable energy microgrid has been commissioned.

Developed by French start-up Ecosun, the trailer is equipped with 15 solar panels with output of 360 W and batteries with a storage capacity of 23 kWh. It can be used for construction sites, military camps and water pumping systems.

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.

Scientists in Korea have developed an efficient synthesis route to produce a novel co-doped anode material for rechargeable seawater batteries. They developed a one-step plasma-in-liquid process to synthesise nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon-based anode material, which displayed great potential for seawater batteries.

The analyst also forecasts strong growth for the storage business and a significant increase in PPAs for photovoltaic projects in Europe. It also said the newly installed PV capacity for 2021 reached 183 GW.

Gelion’s zinc-bromide Endure batteries will undergo commercial tests at the 1.2 MW Montes del Cierzo testing field Spanish renewable energy company Acciona Energía operates in Navarra, in the north of Spain.

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.

On the company’s Q4 earnings call, the world-leading EV manufacturer again prioritised delivering cars over growing low-margin energy storage products, while solar products were barely noted. Both verticals grew though, solar by 68% and storage by 32%.