Solar and storage working in tandem—Exicom Interview
Storage companies are working with solar developers towards strategic alliances, says Naveen Sharma, Vice President-Sales & Strategic Planning, Exicom Power Solutions—an electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure developer that has set up an R&D centre in Bengaluru to facilitate development of lithium-ion battery packs. In an interview with pv magazine, Sharma also talked about the current scenario for Li-ion battery storage manufacturing in India and strategies to succeed.
Storage set to come of age in the next five years
The transition for utility scale storage from offering short duration, high value grid services to the world of long duration energy peaking could spell the end of fossil fuel backup generation within five years.
CNG provider IGL and Tata Power team up for solar projects and EV charging
Tata Power will set up rooftop solar projects for Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) establishments. The two companies will also explore the feasibility of large-scale ‘group captive’ solar power projects for IGL’s own consumption, and commercial-scale charging and/or battery swapping stations for electric vehicles.
Li-ion battery prices fall to $187/kWh
The benchmark levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for lithium-ion batteries has fallen to $187 per kilowatt-hour since the first half of 2018. The overwhelming cost improvement is making batteries paired with solar or wind projects challenge coal- and gas-fired generation for grid stability, according to BloombergNEF (BNEF).
Innovation boosts Lithium-ion battery recycling rate to over 80%
Finnish clean-energy company Fortum has achieved the Lithium-ion battery recycling rate of over 80%—as against the current 50%—with a low-CO2 hydrometallurgical recycling process.
Delhi to get 131 EV charging stations in 3 months
While these electric vehicle (EV) charging facilities will mainly come up at CNG and petrol pumps, 33 are planned for Metro Stations as well, in addition to one each in the parking area at Indira Gandhi International Airport and Jamia Millia. These are likely to become operational within three months.
Norway to install wireless charging system for taxis at stands
Finnish clean-energy company Fortum, in cooperation with US-based inductive charging specialist Momentum Dynamics, will install induction-based infrastructure to allow for wireless charging up to 75 kilowatts.
Tata Chemicals signs MoU for ISRO’s lithium-ion cell technology
Under this MoU, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) would transfer the technology to Tata Chemicals so that it may manufacture lithium-ion cells of varying capacity, size, energy density and power density—catering to a wide spectrum of power storage requirements.
FAME-II: Inter-ministerial panel set up for electric mobility projects
The committee is constituted for overall monitoring, sanctioning and implementation of the scheme, according to an order of the Department of Heavy Industries.
The big read: Equipment suppliers’ solar storage synergy
As lithium-ion battery sales boom, suppliers of equipment for manufacturing photovoltaics are branching out into the storage industry. Are these ventures leading them to bankruptcy or to a breakthrough in storing solar energy?
