E.ON Climate & Renewables North America is to build a 10MW battery energy storage facility with a 2MW solar array in collaboration with Arizonan utility Tucson Electric Power (TEP).

German utility E.On recently joined forces with German PV module and storage manufacturer Solarwatt. Energy Storage News catches up with Felix Brauer, training coordinator at SolarWatt, to discuss the partnership in detail and the benefits of a DC-coupled battery system.

German utility E.On is to develop its own energy storage products in partnership with manufacturer SOLARWATT.

Thus far, the relationship between incumbent utilities and the rise of distributed energy storage has been a difficult one. Cosmin Laslau of Lux Research gives his quick take on one US utility’s plan to stay in the game, offering Tesla Powerwalls to customers in three different ownership models.

Germany-based utility E.ON has invested in US energy storage software, systems and service company Greensmith, bringing the storage specialist’s Series C round of growth financing to US$18.3 million.

Terraform Power, the renewable energy investment vehicle launched by SunEdison, the world’s biggest cleantech developer at present, is set to make its first acquisition in energy storage, SunEdison announced yesterday.