In the previous instalment of this blog, we looked at how our respondents from across the energy storage industry had viewed 2018’s biggest challenges. This time out we look at what some of 2018’s biggest successes were.

After another record-breaking year, in which the US surpassed 1GWh of deployed energy storage and China began its programme of building flow batteries several hundred megawatts in size each, we canvassed opinion on what 2018’s biggest challenges and successes were. In this first part, we look at the challenges faced by the industry in 2018.

In another eventful and exciting year, Energy-Storage.news has been able to capture conversations and interviews with leading industry figures.

The Dutch Development Bank (FMO) and investment firm Symbiotics have announced a US$32.5 million facility to finance ZOLA’s operations within Tanzania over the next five years.

The latest edition of PV Tech Power, Solar Media’s quarterly technical journal for the downstream solar PV industry is now available online, including ‘Storage & Smart Power’, a dedicated section brought to you by the team here at Energy-Storage.news.

News in brief from around the world in energy storage.

Kenya’s government has launched a plan for total electrification in the country by 2022, which acknowledges the role that off-grid systems, mini-grids and stand-alone solar plants can have in complementing extensions to the grid and mitigating higher loads.

BIRD Energy, a foundation jointly created by the US Department of Energy (DoE) and Israel’s Ministry of Energy (MoE) will invest around half the amount required to fund US$12 million of solar, storage, energy efficiency and microgrid projects in Israel.

India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) executive director and Energy-Storage.news guest blogger Dr Rahul Walawalkar has been appointed chair of the Global Energy Storage Alliance (GESA).

Australian firm Resolute Mining has signed an agreement with Africa-focused power developer Ignite Energy to set up a 40MW hybrid solar, battery and heavy fuel oil (HFO) plant at its Syama Gold Mine in Mali, according to an Australian Stock exchange (ASX) filing.