Global renewable energy project developer Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV) said construction work has begun on its second battery storage project in the UK — and the world — with local partner Harmony Energy.

Battery storage systems can deliver multiple services and provide customers and sites with backup power, but their value in doing so remains largely dependent on “highly sophisticated” software.

Digital software company Capgemini is partnering with battery energy storage startup Verkor to help bring to life a 16GWh-capacity lithium-ion cell factory in France.

Fluence has struck a deal that could showcase new digital capabilities since it took over energy storage artificial intelligence and software provider Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) last year.

News in brief from around the world in energy storage: this edition has a distinctly British flavour.

Vertically-integrated solar company Q CELLS has completed the acquisition of US-based Growing Energy Labs Inc (Geli) that was announced in August.

Stem Inc is set to be publicly-listed and expand its global reach through a deal worth as much as US$608 million, agreed with special purpose acquisition company Star Peak Energy Transition Corp.

Two UK-based firms, energy supplier OVO Energy and integrated home battery storage provider Social Energy, have expanded into international markets in Spain and in Australia respectively.

Switzerland’s largest battery storage system has gone into action stabilising the electricity network for transmission grid operator Swissgrid, asset operator Alpiq has said.

The acquisition of Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) saw energy storage technology provider and system integrator Fluence take on AMS’ artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled optimised bidding software for energy storage and renewable energy assets. Energy-Storage.news editor Andy Colthorpe asked Fluence CTO Brett Galura and former AMS CEO Seyed H. Madaeni some key questions about the acquisition.