Ford Motor Company’s entry into the “fiercely competitive” energy storage market is a “big strategic pivot,” but one that makes sense, ESN Premium has heard.

In this edition of the Energy-Storage.news US news roundup, EticaAG partners with Shell on battery immersion tech, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory begins utility-scale battery testing, and ON.Energy announces a transformer supply agreement.

 Utility Georgia Power has reached an agreement with the Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) staff of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), that, if approved, will help lower energy costs and meet electricity demand in the state.

Lithium-ion OEM Hithium has unveiled a new, even larger format 1,300Ah battery cell for 8-hour BESS applications, alongside new related BESS products.

Global average prices for turnkey battery storage systems fell by almost a third year-over-year, with sharp cost declines expected to continue.

A total of around 4.9GW/14GWh of grid-scale BESS entered commercial operations around the world last month, a 29% fall year-on-year owing to an unusually slow month in China.

Waratah Super Battery developer Akaysha Energy has put the first phase of its Ulinda Park BESS project into operation in Queensland, Australia.

Trade association Energy Storage Europe (ESE) has welcomed proposed reforms to European Union (EU) grid connection and permitting processes.

A new battery energy storage system (BESS) cybersecurity whitepaper from consultancy firm The Brattle Group and cybersecurity solutions provider Dragos claims that a single 100MW/400MWh BESS outage could result in US$1.2 million in monthly losses.

Results of an auction to procure large-scale energy storage to support the electric grid in South Korea will be announced in February.