Energy Storage

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.

The first 20MW/20MWh battery energy storage system in the 470MW/470MWh portfolio Fluence is deploying for Filipino conglomerate San Miguel Corp has started serving the island nation’s electricity network.

An international research team has investigated how solar could be combined with thermoelectric coolers (TECs), which are small solid-state heat pumps used either for heating or for cooling. A system was built with six solar panels, an air duct system, four batteries, a charge controller, TECs, an inverter, heat sinks, a test chamber, and condenser fans.

A 100kW/1.5MWh zinc-air battery will be installed in Queens, New York, in combination with a combined heat and power system and a PV array. The pilot project is intended to demonstrate the long-duration energy storage capability of the zinc-air battery.

Growatt’s new AXE LV battery covers a wide range of capacities, from 5kWh to 400kWh, and can support off-grid systems with power outputs of 3kW to 30kW.

Gold developer Calidus Resources has become the latest miner to decarbonise its Western Australian operations by installing a 19 MW hybrid solar PV-gas power system which in future could be up to a quarter fuelled by hydrogen.

Western Australian vanadium explorer Technology Metals Australia and Japanese vanadium redox flow battery producer LE System have decided to tighten their relationship with an expanded Memorandum of Understanding that could see the construction of Australia’s first fully integrated vanadium electrolyte plant proximate to renewable energy hubs and major Australian population centres.

Fortescue Future Industries has acquired Williams Advanced Engineering for $310 million as it looks to capitalise on its critical battery technology to cut emissions from its mining vehicles. An offshoot of the Williams Formula 1 Team, Williams Advanced Engineering has already helped to develop an electric mining haul truck for Fortescue in 2021.

Renewable energy developer Genex Power has announced that construction of a bold engineering project that will transform a retired gold mine site in north Queensland into a 250 MW/2 GWh pumped hydro energy storage facility is now ahead of schedule with underground works having commenced.

Queensland clean energy start-up Endua’s ambitious plan to manufacture modular hydrogen-powered energy generation and storage systems has been given a financial boost with the Federal Government providing the company with almost $1 million to help it commercialise the innovative technology.