The long read: Your solar+storage business plan
With many developers now working on solar+storage projects, it’s time to look more closely at specific business plans. Siobhán Green, lead on battery storage in continental Europe for Everoze, looks at three key questions.
FAME II subsidy scheme extended by two years
The second phase of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) subsidy scheme to promote electric mobility in India will now run until March 31, 2024.
Using the oceans’ depths to store renewables, compress hydrogen
Underwater gravity energy storage has been proposed as an ideal solution for weekly energy storage, by an international group of scientists. The novel technology is considered an alternative to pumped-hydro storage for coasts and islands without mountains that are located close to deep waters, and may also be interesting for PV if used to store green hydrogen.
Tata Power to exit coal by 2050
The energy company says it will use hybrid-technology projects, round-the-clock renewables, battery storage, floating solar and green hydrogen as it attempts to wind down the 69% of its energy generation fleet based on thermal power.
A solar pavilion for India’s rooftops
India’s energy transition will not succeed without rooftop PV and roll-out is hindered not only by a lack of household finance, but by the fact many of the nation’s flat roofs are enjoyed by residents. Germany’s international development agency has proposed a solution.
LNJ Bhilwara, Replus to set up a 1 GWh lithium-ion battery plant
LNJ Bhilwara, a diversified business group with presence in graphite electrode manufacturing, has formed a joint venture with Pune-based Replus Engitech to create lithium battery solutions for both e-mobility and stationary applications. The JV aims to have 1 GWh capacity operational in Pune by mid-2022 and eventually scale it to 5 GWh by 2024.
New renewables cheaper than legacy coal or gas for almost half the world’s population
Electricity bill payers in nations as diverse as China, India, Germany, and Greece should be aware new solar projects can now generate electricity cheaper for them than legacy coal and gas-fired plants.
NTPC invites EoIs for 1 GWh grid-scale battery energy storage
The State-run power producer has more than 65 GW of installed capacity comprising gas, coal, hydro, and renewable energy based power stations.
Reliance Industries unveils $10-billion plan for solar and energy storage
The diversified business group will invest over INR 60,000 crore ((US$ 8.1 billion) over the next three years to build Giga factories for solar, energy storage, electrolyzers, and fuel cells, respectively, to create a fully integrated, end-to-end renewables energy ecosystem. Additional INR 15,000 crore (US$ 2 billion) is planned to create a value chain, partnerships, and future technologies.
‘Low-cost renewable hydrogen may already be in reach’
If the three record-busting low solar price tariffs recorded in the Middle East in the past 18 months are to be believed, renewables-powered hydrogen in prime sites in the region could already compete with gas-plus-CCS production, according to IRENA. Has the Gulf discovered the new petrol?
