SAIC-GM-Wuling builds ESS using retired EV batteries
Fri, 07/10/2020 - 10:36 -- Paul Crompton
SAIC-GM-Wulin— the joint venture between US firm GM Motors and China's SAIC Motor Corporation— has created a 1MWh storage facility using second-life lithium-ion electric vehicle battery packs.
The 250kW power station is using batteries from the development of SAIC-GM-Wuling's Baojun E100 and E200 electric vehicles.
SAIC-GM-Wulin
GM Motors
SAIC Motor Corporation
second-life
Japan utility aims to slash ESS cost by repurposing used EV battery lithium-ion packs
Thu, 07/09/2020 - 11:27 -- Paul Crompton
Japanese utility Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings (Tepco) is set to launch a storage business using used electric vehicle (EV) batteries from China, just weeks after establishing its wholly owned subsidiary Tepco Ventures to enter new business ventures.
The plan is to assemble up to 30 used EV battery packs into energy storage systems for use at renewable-energy plants, according to reports by news outlet Nikkei Asian review.
Tokyo Electric Power Co. Holdings (Tepco)
Tepco Ventures
NV Energy outlines new BESS investments for Nevada
Tue, 06/25/2019 - 16:49 -- John Shepherd
Nevada utility NV Energy has unveiled proposals to build an additional 590MW of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems in the state along with 1,200MW of new solar photovoltaic capacity.
NV is asking regulators to approve a total of three projects in the south of the state towards the utility's target of doubling its renewable energy generating capacity by 2023.
NV Energy
Innolith looks to inorganic electrolyte to boost lithium for grid-scale storage
Newly-formed European company Innolith has said it is on course to bring its inorganic "non-flammable electrolyte" to market within two years, to supercharge the performance of conventional lithium-ion batteries.
Innolith was launched two months ago after acquiring the core technical assets of Alevo in Germany and Switerland, which went into insolvency.
Innolith
inorganic electrolyte
Sergey Buchin
alevo
grid-scale
Battery system coupled with wind farm to aid research
A new lithium-ion battery energy storage facility connected to a wind farm in northern Germany has started operations as part of a research programme.
The BESS, connected to the Curslack wind farm, comprises 24 second life batteries originating from BMW electric vehicles.
The facility provides 720 kilowatts of output and 792 kilowatt-hours of storage capacity and is integrated with five wind turbines to "enable practical research to be conducted into the possibilities for the system integration of renewable energies".
wind-plus-storage
battery energy storage
EV batteries
AES to build Hawaiian solar-storage facility
Work has started on a major solar and battery storage project on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
AES Distributed Energy Inc., part of the US-based AES Corporation, is building the 20MW "five-hour duration" storage system on the island— together with a 28MW Oasis solar system from Silicon Valley-based SunPower Corp.
AES Distributed Energy
AES Corporation
SunPower Corporation
Redflow set to launch Thai battery production
Wed, 11/01/2017 - 09:18 -- News Editor
Australian flow battery firm Redflow Limited has started installing equipment for a battery production line at its new factory in Thailand— putting the firm on track to launch initial operations in the country by the end of the year.
The announcement follows Redflow's formation of a new entity— Redflow (Thailand) Limited— to create a base in the country to serve its Southeast Asia business.
Redflow Limited
MPTS
battery production
zinc-bromine flow batteries
Richard Aird
David Nadone
New Epsilon 'energises leisure time'
Fri, 07/28/2017 - 09:26 -- News Editor
Dutch battery firm Super B has said the launch of its Epsilon lithium-ion battery will "solve limitations" on camping and boat trips.
The company said Epsilon weighs 12.5 kilogrammes and has a life equal to 5,000 cycles – "which is five times more than traditional batteries can offer".
UK unveils 'Faraday Challenge' boost for battery sector
Mon, 07/24/2017 - 11:34 -- News Editor
The UK government has launched the "first phase" of £246 million ($320.8m) worth of investment in battery technology – with competitions "to boost both the research and development of expertise" in the sector.
Business secretary Greg Clark (pictured) said the four-year investment round – dubbed the Faraday Challenge – aims to support innovation and the "scale-up of battery technology" as part of the government's wider industrial strategy in the run-up to Brexit.
Clark said the UK's Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) will spearhead a £45m ($58.7m) competition "to bring the best minds and facilities together to create a Battery Institute". The EPSRC aims to select a consortium of universities that will be responsible for undertaking research "looking to address the key industrial challenges in this area", he said.
Meanwhile, Clark said the national Advanced Propulsion Centre will work with the automotive sector "to identify the best proposition for a new state-of-the-art open access National Battery Manufacturing Development facility".
EPSRC chief executive Professor Philip Nelson said: "Batteries will form a cornerstone of a low carbon economy, whether in cars, aircraft, consumer electronics, district or grid storage. To deliver the UK's low carbon economy we must consolidate and grow our capabilities in novel battery technology."
"The Faraday Challenge is a new way of working," Nelson said. "It will bring together the best minds in the field, draw on others from different disciplines, and link intimately with industry, innovators and other funders, such as Innovate UK, to ensure we maintain that our world leading position and keep the pipeline of fundamental science to innovation flowing."
The government's announcement follows a review, commissioned as part of an industrial strategy consultative paper, by Sir Mark Walport – in which he identified areas where the UK had strengths in battery technology and could benefit from funding.
Full story in next week's BEST Battery Briefing.
EPSRC
Faraday Challenge
Confidence grows in battery industry as VC funding doubles
Mon, 07/25/2016 - 11:57 -- Paul Crompton
Confidence in the battery/storage sector more than doubled in the second quarter of the year with venture capitalists plowing $125million into ten deals.
Twenty investors put cash into companies focused on lithium-ion, sodium, energy storage systems, lead-based technology, energy storage management software and thermal energy storage.