How water can save solar: using bulk storage to flatten the duck
Power storage remains expensive, making it difficult to cost effectively store power for use when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow. However, this oft repeated statement does not represent the full picture because not all storage is created equal. While battery storage is seeing rapidly increasing deployment, it is not yet a cost effective solution for storing and discharging large amounts of power for longer time horizons. However, there are effective bulk sto
India Wants Tesla to Build a Local Manufacturing Plant
India has been making the case for electric vehicles to be both manufactured and purchased in the country for quite some time, with the apparent belief that they could make a large impact within the next two decades—if they just had the infrastructure. After doubts from Tesla CEO Elon Musk appeared Twitter earlier this week, however, they were promptly addressed by an Indian program for manufacturing. When it comes to cars, it seems that there is always someone who wants a Te
Exide settles trademark tiff
Calcutta, May 22: Lead-acid battery maker Exide Industries has buried a decade-long dispute over the ownership of the "Exide" trademark in India with a US company. "The company was in discussion with the US company Exide Technologies for an out-of-court settlement to amicably resolve the long standing dispute. Based on the discussions, the company has entered into a settlement agreement with the Exide Technologies on May 19," the Raheja-owned company informed the stock exchan
The Race to Build a Better Battery for Storing Power
There’s the battery in your watch. There’s the battery in your mobile phone. And then there’s the battery at Green Mountain Power’s Stafford Hills solar farm in Rutland, Vt. The lithium-ion gargantuan is housed in two trailer-truck-size green metal containers. It sits atop a 10-acre former landfill and captures electricity from 7,722 nearby solar panels—enough to power 2,000 homes on a sunny day. What’s revolutionary about this system isn’t the solar farm; it’s the size and p
Nanomaterials Produce Better Batteries at Half the Cost
Helped by a $4M grant from the Canadian federal government, Vancouver upstart Nano One has developed and patented a process that decreases the cost and improves the performance of Li-ion batteries. If the technique proves itself feasible on a large scale, we could see electric vehicles with more range and energy storage systems with higher capacities, all with a lower price tag. After in-house proof of concept and third party validation, Nano One recently completed constructi
Trojan Battery Licenses Bi-Polar Technology from Advanced Battery Concepts
Trojan Battery Co., LLC, the world¹s leading manufacturer of deep-cycle batteries, has signed a multi-year licensing agreement with Advanced Battery Concepts LLC (ABC) for its GreenSeal® bi-polar battery technology with the goal of future product commercialization. The advantages of bi-polar battery architecture include higher energy and power density and lower manufacturing costs than conventional AGM battery construction, which promotes more stable performance over the life
How the Hyundai Ioniq Ditched Its Traditional 12V Lead-Acid Starter Battery
Every year, AAA answers 7.5 million phone calls from people whose cars are stranded due to dead batteries; these calls represent roughly a quarter of all AAA roadside assistance requests. We’ve all jumped, been jumped, and replaced batteries at $100 a pop every five or so years. Hyundai figures we’re all getting tired of it. The 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid is the first modern production car without a traditional 12-volt battery. Instead, engineers left open space at the furthes
Mercedes-Benz and Vivint Solar partner to compete with Tesla in home energy
Mercedes-Benz Energy will combine home energy storage with Vivint solar panels in the U.S. Will be available first to California homeowners in the second quarter. Product is very similar to those offered by Tesla. Part of Mercedes' larger electrification strategy. Mercedes-Benz is partnering with U.S.-based Vivint Solar to compete with Tesla and similar companies in residential solar energy and storage. Mercedes-Benz Energy will combine its 2.5 kilowatt-hour energy storage ba
Apple’s New Campus: An Exclusive Look Inside the Mothership
See how apple melds design, conservation, innovation, and creativity in their new office space. Wired magazine details the process and result of Steve Jobs' vision. link here
California battery’s black start capability hailed as ‘major accomplishment in the energy industry’
A utility in Southern California has successfully demonstrated the use of a battery energy storage system to provide a ‘black start’, firing up a combined cycle gas turbine from an idle state. The utility Imperial Irrigation District (IID) announced news of the successful demonstration, which it said took place last week. IID was ranked as the utility to deploy the most energy storage in the US during 2016 by trade group the Smart Electric Power Association (SEPA) with 30MW i
