Energy Storage

EU member states have reached a consensus regarding the prohibition of discriminatory taxes for self-produced energy, in negotiations on the renewable energy directive. The indiscriminate regulation covers systems of up to 30 kW capacity. Furthermore, double taxation through the additional charges on energy storage is to be avoided.

The project – the largest storage system using second-life and new electric vehicle batteries installed at a commercial building in Europe to date – was developed in partnership with Eaton, BAM and The Mobility House. pv magazine was present at the commissioning ceremony.

The City of Sydney has installed the first large scale battery storage system to be located within the Sydney metropolitan are. Transgrid and the City collaborated on the project, which sees 500 kWh of batteries coupled with around 450 kWp of rooftop PV.

The German-based company delivered 26 battery inverters for lithium-ion storage with a capacity of over 50MWh. The facility is one of the largest of its kind and will provide reserve capacity to compensate for deviations in the power supply.

Finnish-based energy-solution provider, Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with automobile producer, Hyundai Motor Group to establish a commercial partnership for the use of second-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries in storage solutions.

German battery manufacturer, Tesvolt and EPC Unlimited Energy won the Smarter E award last week, for their innovative off-grid solar plus storage project in South Western Australia. The project demonstrates how solar can provide a reliable energy supply without back up from the grid, and why it is set to spread around the world even faster than many predict.

Distribution network operator, UK Power Networks is on track to launch what it says is London’s first virtual power plant (VPP). To this end, batteries will be installed on around 40 homes in the U.K. capital.

Turkey is going to the polls on Sunday, and many wonder whether president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s gamble on a snap election could backfire. Unless there is a shock at the ballot box though, the nation’s energy sector trends are unlikely to be challenged.

If implemented, the huge tendering exercise would dwarf anything that has gone before it. Minister explains bidding will also include solar manufacturing and storage elements.

At the smarter E-Intersolar Europe trade show this week, awards have been given to the technologies driving the energy transition to a low carbon future. Prizes include the Intersolar Award, recognizing PV technology; the EES prize for storage innovation; and the smarter E awards – one of which was given to an off-grid agricultural project in Australia.