‘Important to explore alternatives’ to lithium-ion, Shell-NREL accelerator says
Accelerator selected the maker of an organic flow battery among a group of “startups with the potential to dramatically alter the future global energy landscape”.
Articles tagged with: Commercialisation
Australia’s Clean Energy Finance Corporation puts AU$300m into commercialising green hydrogen
Australia’s government-owned green bank, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC), has pledged AU$300 million (US$192 million) of existing funding towards “building investor confidence in renewable hydrogen”.
Baby steps for EOS’ zinc batteries in US ahead of 40MWh project, company targets UK for 2020
Duke Energy latest utility to test the technology, while manufacturer's partnership aims to introduce UK version next year.
Feature
Interviews
After lithium… more lithium? Inside 24M’s semi-solid battery play
24M, spun out of an MIT laboratory, claims its latest semi-solid battery ‘breakthrough’, Dual Electrolyte technology, heralds a new era to come for advanced lithium batteries. Andy Colthorpe spoke to some of the company’s leadership team to find out more.
Japanese solar names invest to scale up 24M’s semi-solid ‘next gen’ battery tech
24M, a start-up angling to disrupt the already-disruptive lithium-ion battery industry with the design and production of semi-solid lithium cells, has raised US$21.8 million in a Series D funding round.
Tata Power in India agrees to buy 35MWh of gravity-based energy storage from Energy Vault
Energy Vault, a Swiss maker of energy storage systems based around gravity, has made its technology commercially available, with India’s Tata Power expected to be the first customer.
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Editor's blog
Long time coming: Part 2
First developed by NASA, flow batteries are a potential answer to storing solar – and wind – for eight to 10 hours, far beyond what is commonly achieved today with lithium-ion. In the second of a two-part special report, Andy Colthorpe dives deeper into questions of bankability, market segmentation and manufacturing strategies with four very different providers of flow energy storage technology.
Primus gets South Africa flow battery order from supplier-investor Anglo American Platinum
A mining operation in South Africa will start managing the cost of its consumed energy with the deployment of eight flow batteries from Primus Power.
Feature
Editor's blog
Flow in flux: Long duration batteries in fight to commercialise
It’s been predicted for some time that the redox flow energy storage space will, after some turmoil and rapid consolidation, find success in providing energy storage at durations of more than four hours. This past couple of weeks have been a tale of both turmoil and success.
Breaking Redox flow ‘leader’ VIZn admits cashflow difficulties, denies going out of business
Flow battery manufacturer VIZn Energy has confirmed that nearly all its employees have been “furloughed” amid financial difficulties, but denied that the company has exited the business altogether.
Feature
Interviews
Primus Power CEO: Economic advantages of ‘versatile’ flow batteries starting to show
Primus Power is among a handful of makers currently commercialising their flow batteries, with rivals that include RedT, VIZn Energy and Redflow. Early customers have included Microsoft, which installed a Primus battery at its corporate HQ in a pilot project. Andy Colthorpe spoke with Primus Power CEO Tom Stepien to learn more.
Exelon and Albemarle invest to overcome ‘deal-killing tech challenges’ in energy storage
Nuclear generation company Exelon and chemical company Albemarle, which has lithium mining facilities, are investigating opportunities in the energy storage space, having partnered with battery energy storage investor Volta Energy Technologies to do so.
Panasonic, imec claim ‘exceptionally high’ ionic conductivity for solid state electrolytes
A new solid state electrolyte for lithium batteries developed by Panasonic and nano-electronics and digital tech innovation hub imec has achieved “exceptionally high” ionic conductivity at room temperature.
‘Saltwater battery’ maker Aquion Energy back from dead under new ownership
Aquion Energy, maker of energy storage batteries and whole systems based on a novel electrolyte with a chemical composition similar to saltwater, is back in business.
Failed attempts at commercialising lead acid hybrid endangering Axion Power International
Axion Power International, focusing on “hybrid battery technology” that combines lead acid with the properties of carbon-based supercapacitors, has warned that it is in financial trouble after failed attempts to commercialise its devices.
Kodak and Polaris team for battery tech accelerator
Kodak and Polaris Battery Labs have collaborated on a support system for new battery manufacturers and products.
Analyst highlights Valley of Death risks for Cambridge Uni’s ‘breakthrough’ Li-Air battery
An analyst has hailed the work of a University of Cambridge team developing the “ultimate” lithium-air battery for overcoming some of the technology’s limitations, but has expressed doubts as to its prospects for commercialisation.
UK Renewable Energy Association launches trade groups for storage and solar industries
The UK’s Renewable Energy Association (REA) has launched two new trade groups to represent the solar and storage industries respectively.