The energy storage business of German auto manufacturer Mercedes-Benz is expanding to the US market starting early 2017.

Energy storage systems from Mercedes-Benz will be supplied with batteries manufactured at an expanded plant in Germany which the company has just announced, but has declined to reveal the production capacity.

Berlin-based energy storage firm Younicos and German utility WEMAG have started work on expanding the storage capacity of a battery park in Schwerin, Germany, from 5MW to 10MW power output and 5MWh to 14.5MWh capacity.

RWE International SE (innogy), a leading European energy company, has signed a share purchase agreement to takeover German solar and energy storage specialist Belectric.

New research predicts the energy storage market in Germany will increase 11-fold in the next five years, with the residential market buoyed by declining feed-in tariffs, high electricity prices and €30 million in subsidies, while the primary reserve market boosts activity within the utilities sector.

The US must open up access to its grid and allow anyone who generates electricity to sell it on, according to an executive from energy storage company sonnen.

VARTA’s energy storage system project manager Michael Gopp discusses the technologies past, present and future.

The global grid-connected energy storage project pipeline is forecasted to hit 2GW this year; a 20% increase on the figures for the end of 2015, according to new analysis by IHS.

NEC Energy Solutions will provide a 1.2MWh lithium ion battery system for a grid stabilising project in Bavaria, Germany.

German luxury carmaker Mercedes Benz has officially launched a dedicated energy division, focusing on its range of lithium-ion storage battery systems, following a series of related announcements including tie-ups with inverter maker SMA.