The US’ installed battery storage capacity reached 1,650MW by the end of 2020, but the country is on track to have nearly 10 times that amount by 2024, according to the national Energy Information Administration (EIA).

New York utility Con Edison has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for scheduling and dispatch rights to at least 200MW of energy storage, while its Greater New York subsidiary Orange & Rockland is seeking at least 10MW.

Financing has been secured for two projects that will add nearly a gigawatt-hour of battery storage at California solar power facilities this year, by renewable energy company Terra-Gen and private asset management firm Capital Dynamics.

California’s government has issued a roadmap for the US state to achieve its long-term goal of 100% clean energy, while an immediate State of Emergency has been declared over concerns the electric system will struggle under heat waves this summer.

A “once-in-a-generation” commitment to invest in the US’ national infrastructure includes financial support for energy storage supply chains and renewable energy deployment, but not the investment tax credit for standalone energy storage.

Primary vanadium producer Largo Resources has closed a deal to supply its first grid-scale vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) system.

As energy system modernisation and decarbonisation progresses, energy storage could represent between 10% and 25% of India’s total installed power capacity by 2050, while other countries in South Asia including Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan also have “significant opportunities” for energy storage.

Solar and solar-plus-storage systems will be installed at two nickel mines in Western Australia for BHP, a supplier to Tesla, while a Rio Tinto ilmenite mine in Madagascar will be powered by a solar-wind-storage hybrid plant.

Battery storage could play the same role on the grid as a proposed 60MW natural gas and fuel oil peaker plant in Massachusetts and not only result in lower emissions but also in cost savings.

Energy storage activity grew during January to June this year for Wärtsilä, accounting for almost two-thirds of new-build order intake, the company’s VP for Energy Storage and Optimisation has said.