Europe's installed energy storage capacity now exceeds that of nuclear power, with more than 10 GW of battery storage in operation as of Q2 this year. Despite this significant growth, no European country has yet reached its full potential for energy storage deployment. This represents a notable shift in the continent's energy mix towards cleaner and more flexible sources.
A 600 MW Rathrush Energy Park in Ireland is harnessing blustery Irish winds to store green electricity in underground hydrogen caverns for up to weeks, aiming to conquer the flexibility challenge faced by grid operators. This long-duration energy storage solution powered by green hydrogen can handle fluctuations caused by renewable energy supply and demand, addressing the limitations of short-term lithium-ion batteries and other traditional methods. The park is part of Net Zero Energy's ambitious plans to stabilize Ireland's power grid.
Researchers from SINTEF have assessed the potential contribution of solar PV to energy transition in Longyearbyen, Norway's northernmost settlement, with a focus on extreme Arctic environmental conditions such as low temperatures, seasonal variations, and snow accumulation. The study found that Longyearbyen can achieve high peak solar irradiance and PV capacity factors, comparable to mainland Norwegian cities. This suggests that solar PV could play a significant role in powering the settlement's energy mix, particularly when combined with wind power and storage.
Ore Energy has signed a deal with a Dutch utility to deploy 1,000MWh of multi-day-duration iron-air batteries over multiple days. The startup's iron-air battery technology will provide energy storage capabilities for the Dutch utility. No specific timeline or location details were mentioned in the article.
Researchers from Hebei University of Technology in China have proposed an integrated energy system that combines solar-driven reversible heat pumps with organic Rankine cycle technology to provide efficient and flexible energy supply for buildings, leveraging the complementary operation of both systems to deliver heating or cooling depending on seasonal demand. The ORC system enables the recovery and conversion of low-grade thermal energy into electricity, offering a better suited thermodynamic process for low- and medium-grade heat recovery applications. The proposed system integrates solar thermal collection, heat pumping, and power generation within a single flexible configuration that can switch between heating and power generation modes depending on seasonal demand.
A Long-duration energy storage startup called Ore Energy has secured the largest iron-air battery deal in continental Europe, and its battery can run for up to four days. The company's technology allows for a more efficient and cost-effective way of storing energy.
US energy storage startup QuantumScape is advancing towards commercial-level production of EV batteries, a move seen as progress despite the recent shift in federal electrification technology. The company is innovating with solid-state lithium-metal batteries. QuantumScape is part of a growing number of domestic EV battery developers.
In APAC, policy certainty is now prioritized over cost in battery storage investments. Regulatory barriers and a lack of policy clarity have shifted focus towards securing stable policies to support energy storage projects. This new approach aims to overcome challenges related to supply chain localization and identify the most attractive battery energy storage system (BESS) opportunities.
Offshore wind remains a valuable potential addition to the PJM grid, offering benefits as part of a balanced portfolio and reducing demand on constrained natural gas supply chains. Despite policy roadblocks, including regulatory and market uncertainties, offshore wind development can help meet emerging capacity shortfalls. A large-scale project like Dominion Energy's Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) has already begun feeding power into the PJM grid.
Researchers from KIT and DLR have released a freely-accessible dataset containing operational data from the Jülich Solar Tower test power plant in western Germany, featuring 849 gigabytes of data from 2021 to 2024. The dataset provides detailed information on mirror positions, dimensions, and movements, as well as images to verify precise light direction, which could help develop more efficient solar tower plants. This dataset is billed as the first of its kind for operational solar power generation.
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