Magazine Archive 10 – 2024 | Further upstream

Steel manufacturing accounts for 8% of global energy demand and 7% of energy-related CO₂ emissions, according to the International Energy Agency. The World Steel Association says energy use per ton of steel has dropped by 60% since the 1970s and steel is the world’s most recycled material, but there is still room for improvement. pv magazine’s UP initiative looks at opportunities for the industry to be greener, such as integrating solar and energy storage.

Anker’s new microinverters are optimizing solar production and energy storage for homeowners, according to Shaun Xiong, board member and general manager of the company’s charging business. He says the company is also well on its way to achieving its goal of zero plastic packaging by 2027.

A typical mid-sized battery materials processing facility can produce 50,000 tons of waste sodium sulfate per year, most of which currently goes to landfill. Bilen Aküzüm, chief technology officer (CTO) of California-based startup Aepnus, explains how the company uses an electrolysis process to convert this waste back into usable chemicals for the battery industry.

India is laying the foundations of a hydrogen economy with huge governmental support. pv magazine spoke to Jakson Green CEO Bikesh Ogra about the company’s manufacturing and production activities in light of India’s ambitious hydrogen plans and the central role electrolyzer manufacturing is set to play.

Energy losses and advances in battery technology can affect utility-scale storage asset performance over time. Jordan Perrone, senior project development engineer at Depcom Power, explains how planning for battery storage augmentation from the start can simplify future upgrades down the line.

The volume of large-scale battery energy storage projects under construction in Australia passed that of solar and wind projects combined in 2023 and the trend has intensified this year, with batteries attracting federal support. As coal-fired power plants are shuttered, developers and suppliers are enjoying a battery bonanza.

Where we’ve been: RE+ 2024 Anaheim, California

By Subrahmanyam Pulipaka, CEO of the National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI)