Industry-watchers will closely follow how the recently completed acquisition of energy storage system integrator NEC ES by LG Energy Solution pans out.

LG Energy Solution, the battery technology arm of South Korea’s LG Group, has completed its acquisition of 100% ownership in battery energy storage system (BESS) integrator NEC ES.

LG Energy Solution has signed a five-year supply deal for lithium hydroxide from Germany-headquartered Vulcan Energy Resources, which aims to establish carbon emissions-free extraction facilities. 

Project owner Vistra Energy expects the 300MW Phase I of Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility — the world’s biggest lithium battery project to date — to come back online during the first half of this year.

LG Energy Solution will use proceeds from its initial public offering (IPO) this month to feed into growing the company’s manufacturing capacity significantly in Europe, the Americas and Asia.

LG Energy Solution has acquired NEC Energy Solutions (NEC ES), the NEC Corporation subsidiary focused on energy storage which announced its exit from the industry last year. 

RWE Renewables has ordered integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) from LG Energy Solution for two large-scale solar-plus-storage projects being built in the US. 

Seasoned renewable energy lawyer Adam Walters from Stoel Rives argues that procurement in the battery storage space is currently like a sort of Wild West.

Augmentation at the Vistra Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in California has been completed, with the world’s biggest battery energy storage system (BESS) now at 400MW / 1,600MWh. 

Users of US solar price comparison site EnergySage are increasingly drawn towards battery storage through concerns around having enough power in emergency situations, with 70% of users now requesting storage with their solar quotes.