Covering the energy storage market has been an interesting – if occasionally bumpy – ride so far and we can expect it to be an even more vibrant and action-packed space from here on in. From the top five most-read news stories to some great interviews via our regular guest blogs, we’ve rounded up some highlights from our year.
Electronic systems provider AEG Power Solutions has officially launched the prototype of a new lead-acid battery based energy storage system in Spain, which will integrate renewable energy output and manage loads effectively.
The US market for solar-plus-storage is predicted to grow more than twentyfold in the next three years, rapidly expanding from US$42 million in value this year to US$1 billion by 2018, according to GTM Research.
In the second part of his exploration of the areas of the world taking a lead in supporting the deployment of storage, Andy Colthorpe looks at Germany, Japan and Puerto Rico.
Integrated US photovoltaic energy company SunPower’s solar panels will be sold as part of a package that includes energy management software and energy storage capabilities to residential customers in the US and Australia from early next year.
The Australian government’s renewable energy division will trial the capabilities of on-grid energy storage to maximise the value of rooftop solar, announcing yesterday that it will provide funding for a trial by energy storage specialist Reposit Power.
Parallels are frequently drawn between the nascent energy storage business and solar 10 years ago – that it needs strong policy direction to take off. Andy Colthorpe profiles some of the areas emerging as world pioneers in supporting the deployment of storage.
Two different types of energy storage for electric vehicles (EVs) have received a possible boost in the past few days – Samsung has invested in a solid-state lithium battery start-up while redox flow battery EV maker nanoFlowcell has launched manufacturing headquarters.
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), a US non-profit organisation which is funded by electric utilities, will test and evaluate a battery storage system paired with a 1MW solar array in Cedartown, Georgia.
German storage system manufacturer Sonnenbatterie, which announced this week the close of a US$10 million equity funding round, said it sees “high growth potential” for its products in Australia, the UK and Italy.