Ben Lincoln, energy expert at intellectual property law firm Potter Clarkson, looks at patent filing activity in energy storage technologies outside the world of electrochemical batteries.
While the demand for third-party battery energy storage system (BESS) optimisation services looks set to grow substantially, challenges for companies specialised in offering those services remain.
Closed-loop pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) has fewer emissions associated with its development, construction and use than other leading options for large-scale energy storage.
Iron-air battery firm Form Energy has received a US$12 million grant from the state of New York for a 1GWh long-duration energy storage project, whilst Ecolectro Inc, PolyJoule Inc and Urban Electric Power received smaller amounts.
The domestic manufacturing capabilities of US flow battery providers ESS Inc and Stryten Energy have been celebrated by senior state politicians in Oregon and Georgia respectively.
By the end of 2022, US co-located renewable and energy storage projects totalled 41GW of generating power and 5.4GW/15.2GWh of energy storage, according to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) analysis.
US electric utility Xcel Energy has launched a request for proposals (RFP) for solar and battery storage projects to replace its Allen S. King coal-fired power plant in the US state of Minnesota.