The stationary energy storage sector will play an increasingly larger role in the electricity grid of the future. Demand is being driven by several key trends including the proliferation of renewable energy from variable sources such as wind and solar, the expansion of utility smart grid initiatives, and the introduction of plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. According to a new report from Pike Research, worldwide installed system revenues will grow at a strong pace in the coming decade, increasing from $1.5 billion in 2010 to $35.3 billion annually by 2020.
energy storage
Preliminary results of a test project in Minnesota for large-scale battery storage of wind energy – and possibly, in the future, solar electricity – show that it works, the multistate electricity company Xcel Energy says.
Several studies are under way in the United States, and more are ongoing in other countries, on using batteries to help integrate the intermittent and variable electricity production from solar and wind installations into the steady current flow of electricity grids.
via Battery Storage of Renewable Energy Looks Promising, Xcel Energy Says.
Investors chasing high returns like to get in early on the next big thing. For some pioneering firms in New Jersey, that means multimillion dollar bets on clean energy.
From Short Hills to Princeton, public and private companies are committing their own capital, or that of large investors, to building wind and solar farms and developing other types of renewable power, as well as smart-grid and energy-storage technologies.
via N.J. firms pouring billions into wind, solar ventures | NJ.com.
Beacon Power Corporation (Nasdaq: BCON) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to negotiate a $2.25 million award in support of developing a next-generation flywheel energy storage system. The goal would be to store four times the energy at one-eighth the cost, versus Beacon's current Smart Energy 25 (Gen 4) flywheel system.
via Beacon Power Receives $2.25M From U.S. Department of Energy | Benzinga.com.
One of the biggest problems with switching an electric grid over to clean energy is storage. Most clean energy solutions are unreliable over short periods of time – when clouds come out, solar panels don’t produce. If the wind changes direction, or stops, wind turbines don’t produce. However, if the energy could be stored efficiently, then energy companies could produce excess during peak production times and otherwise reserve it for a rainy day… literally.
via Better Place Smart Grid To Solve Storage Issues Preventing A True Clean Grid | Green Prophet.
Silent Power, the Brainerd-area technology pioneer that designs energy storage systems for solar and wind-power installations, plans to announce next week that it has been selected to partner with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District on a $5.9 million photovoltaic storage pilot project at Anatolia, Calif.
via Minnesota firm to aid California power project | StarTribune.com.
Plug-in cars such as the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf require big, expensive batteries that might last longer than the vehicles themselves.
But if those batteries had a second use, the cars, to go on sale later this year, might be more affordable.
A San Diego nonprofit group has landed a $1 million grant to test possible second uses for these batteries, including packaging them into home systems that would charge at night and put out power during the day.
via New life eyed for electric-car batteries – SignOnSanDiego.com.
A new U.S. study will look into turning used electric vehicle batteries into household electric storage devices, extending their useful lifespan and possibly bringing down their initial cost to consumers.
The California Center for Sustainable Energy will lead the joint research study, aided by a US$992,000 grant from the University of California.
While plug-in electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle batteries hold potential for reducing petroleum consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, the high cost of advanced lithium-ion battery packs presents a major obstacle to the widespread adoption of these vehicles. The new study will establish viable applications for the batteries beyond their use in vehicles and quantify the value of the batteries in these secondary applications.
via CanadianDriver » Green News » Study examines new use for lithium-ion batteries.
Sanyo Electric Group and the University of California at San Diego have announced a research collaboration agreement designed to lead to the next generation of solar energy systems and energy management.
Under the agreement, Sanyo and UC-San Diego will collaborate on multi-year, multi-disciplinary projects in the areas of renewable energy and energy storage research, development and education. Sanyo will contribute $3 million over three years to fund the collaborative research projects. The agreement is the first of its kind that Sanyo has made with a university in the United States in the area of energy.
via Press Release: Sanyo, UC-San Diego Sign Solar Energy Research Agreement.
At the 6th International Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Conference organized by Climate Change Solutions in Birmingham this spring, Sandy Taylor, Head of Climate Change at the City Council, said that they are very impressed by the level of investment in hydrogen in the USA. It is beginning to happen here in the UK, with initiatives by the Regional Development Agencies. Birmingham was at the forefront of the global industrial revolution and car manufacturing and is now taking the lead in the UK with clean energy and car production. The West Midlands is the low carbon area for the automotive industry and also leads the region?s EU Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) on Climate Change, which will oversee research and help develop new markets and business opportunities, with hydrogen as a key player. Birmingham City Council is involved in green innovation and has a resolution to only purchase vehicles powered by electricity or liquefied petroleum gas by 2015. They are taking action against climate change and aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2026. Gareth Stanley of Advantage West Midland added that they are making significant investment in the area as an international hydrogen centre.
via Fuel Cell Power – PREPARING THE GROUND FOR HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELLS.
In Glendale, California, air conditioning units typically pull from the grid at peak electricity times, creating an infrastructure burden in a heavily populated area. But now–thanks to a new, recently announced partnership between Ice Energy and municipal utility Glendale Water & Power (GWP) –the city will be making use of a 1.5 Megawatts (MW) energy storage system that will allow AC units to run on electricity collected and stored from the night before, reducing burden on the grid as well as costs to tax-payers.
via California City Keeps Cool with Thermal Energy Storage | EarthTechling.
The green economy is rapidly taking shape here and throughout the country. Our electric infrastructure is badly in need of adaptable solutions to meet new demand.
Technologies like renewable wind power, electric cars, smart appliances and distributed generation and energy storage are fundamentally changing the power grid. Enter smart grid.
“Just imagine. The electric grid is so dumb that when the power goes out you have to actually phone your local utility to tell them you’re in the dark.” So goes an oft repeated insight at smart grid conferences, frequently followed by knowing, Urkel-like snickers from tech wonks.
All of our networks share a similar problem. Does AT&T know when your iPhone dies? Does Google know when your desktop goes blue-screen? Does Exxon know when your car runs out of gas, or the water utility when your pipes freeze? Is there any way Whole Foods can know when your fridge is empty of brie?
via Smart Grid Revolution Starts With Big-Electron Storage – Forbes.com.
Saft, a dealer in high technology batteries, has announced that its Saft (News – Alert) Li-ion or “lithium-ion” battery technology is providing the energy storage at the heart of ABB’s new SVC Light concept.
This concept will be a key element in the creation of a Smart Grid that can handle significantly increased levels of renewable energy.
via Saft Li-ion Battery Powers the SVC Light with Energy Storage.
Last week, GE Transportation introduced its battery for Smart Grid storage – a sodium halide battery dubbed Durathon, which boasts a cycle life of up to 20 years. Additionally, the company announced a manufacturing plant for the battery in Schenectady, NY, along with a $150 million investment in advanced development of the battery. GE Transportation has been developing molten salt batteries since it acquired Beta R&D in 2007, and Durathon most likely uses sodium nickel chloride technology, called the “zebra battery.”
GE Energy Storage Technologies (NYSE: GE), a unit of GE Transportation recently unveiled its Durathon battery technology for utility companies.
GE says the sodium-based can have an operable life of up to 20 years, providing an alternative to costly new power generation.
“BYD stands for ‘Build Your Dreams,’” Wang Chuanfu, the company's founder and chairman, said at a press conference at which Los Angeles and regional dignitaries, aides and guests outnumbered reporters by at least 20-to-1. “This is a green dream,” Mr. Wang said in English.
Switching to Mandarin, he said, “BYD has three dreams. The first dream is electric vehicles. The second dream is low-cost solar power. The third dream is battery storage stations” that allow the intermittent generation of solar to be captured and used when needed.
via Schwarzenegger, L.A. Mayor Welcome BYD to Its U.S. Home.
We usually think of fossil fuels as energy sources. Fuels of all kinds are not sources of energy, but actually are storage devices for energy. Think of them as a kind of battery. This may, at first, seem like a very small distinction without a difference.
Saft Li-ion (lithium-ion) battery technology is providing the energy storage at the heart of ABB’s new SVC Light concept that will be a key element in the creation of the Smart Grid essential to handle significantly increased levels of renewable generation. The SVC Light with Energy Storage adds a significant new dimension to ABB’s Smart Grid philosophy by combining energy storage capability with its well-established SVC Light technology. This approach will alleviate many of the concerns related to the addition of wind power and solar energy generation to existing grids by helping to level out intermittent production and support demand response.
A new bill in the California Assembly would mandate that electricity utilities store 2.25% of peak demand load by 2014 and 5% by 2020. AB 2514 was introduced by Attorney General Jerry Brown and Assemblymember Nancy Skinner. If it passes, energy storage will become common in California and this will help create a smart grid.
Our current grid, both state-wide and national, is old, creaky, and dumb. The amount of power produced must always match the power consumed because there’s no place to store extra energy. Conversely, a sudden surge in demand now means generating plants must act instantly.
via New bill would mandate energy storage for California power grid | CAIVN.
