Japanese petroleum firm Idemitsu has invested in a vanadium mining, processing and electrolyte production project in Australia, while two other major vanadium projects have progressed.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in Finland has granted €19.5 million (US$19.3 million) to a hybrid plant project combining wind, solar and 25MW/50MWh of battery storage.

The first commercial sand-based thermal energy storage system in the world has started operating in Finland, developed by Polar Night Energy.

Energy solutions integrator Alfen is building a 12MW battery energy storage system (BESS) with black start functionality for co-location with a wind farm in Finland.

French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen has recorded €109.1 million (US$115 million) in revenue in the opening quarter of 2022 due to a strong growth in its renewable assets and energy storage.

Facilities aimed at making products for the BESS industry announced by Turkey-headquartered Kontrolmatik and Ireland-headquartered Eaton.

A major new vanadium processing facility is set to open in Finland in late 2024 after the formation of a joint venture (JV) to deliver the project.

News in brief from around the world in energy storage.

China has once again been ranked top for involvement in the global lithium-ion battery supply chain by BloombergNEF, but for the first time the US has come in second amid a policy rush to support the domestic industry. 

A seasonal heat storage plant which will have a capacity of about 90GWh looks set to begin construction next year in Vantaa, Finland, with water stored in underground caverns heated to 140°C using renewable energy and waste heat.