In less than 10 years, distributed solar-plus-storage systems will reach 27.4GW worldwide and be worth more than US$49.1 billion, with Asia and Western Europe leading the way, a new report from Navigant Research has forecast.

Distributed energy technologies such as solar and battery-based energy storage could save Australia AU$101 billion (US$75 billion) by 2050 and completely eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new report from CSIRO and Energy Networks Australia (ENA).

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is continuing its mission of funding priority development projects in emerging economies, this time by signing two grants that leverage US technology and investment to increase access to affordable, reliable electricity in Kenya.

Flow battery maker Primus Power was leader of the charts in VC funding in the first quarter of 2017, securing US$32 million from a range of investors, according to Mercom Capital’s latest report.

Australia-based flow battery provider Redflow has paused deliveries of new batteries after a number of unexpected product mode failures during remote monitoring at customer sites, according to a filing on the Australian Stock Exchange.

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is promoting a Request for Proposals (RfP) to US companies to design, build and install hybrid solar PV and energy storage microgrid generation systems in Haiti.

Work has been completed on a 1MW / 2MWh battery energy storage system for a ‘multi-resource microgrid’ in Denver, by Younicos and its project partners, Panasonic and utility Xcel Energy.

Clearly, renewable energy is now a viable alternative to traditional generation from a cost perspective. However solar and wind’s penetration of the grid is constrained by ageing infrastructure, high grid connection costs and their intermittent, weather-dependent nature. Scott McGregor looks at how long-duration energy storage on an industrial scale can help.

UK flow battery provider redT will deliver a 1.08MWh energy storage project to support the distributed energy system in Cornwall, England, and potentially take part in utility Centrica’s developing ‘virtual energy marketplace’.

French hybrid energy storage solutions provider Electro Power Systems has secured an equity-linked financing deal to the sum of €30 million (US$31.88 million) with the European Investment Bank (EIB).