Lux Research argues the best near-term opportunity for stationary fuel cells is to provide combined heat and power (CHP) in distributed applications. But not everyone sees it that way. Analyst Jacob Grose explains.
VYCON, designer and maker of high-speed energy storage flywheel systems, has shipped its 300th flywheel system. The company says its fleet of systems has logged a record 5 million discharge and recharge cycles in extremely demanding applications.
Which smart grid companies will be on our radar as 2011 progresses? That's the question we put to our readers – and you came through with some intriguing nominations. In today's post we introduce the second installment of 11 in 2011 nominations, along with observations from Jesse Berst.
AES Energy Storage has introduced an 8 MW battery-based storage system to help grid operators level the variations between electricity generation and load. The system is in use in the New York Independent System Operator service area, and the project is said to be the first of its kind in the country.
Intelligent energy storage provider Ice Energy will work with indoor comfort systems and services provider Trane to create energy storage-compatible, high-efficiency air conditioning solutions for commercial customers.
Unlike lithium-ion batteries, the playing field for molten salt is sparsely populated today. But Lux Research analyst Steve Minnihan expects that to change as increased production scale and competition drive down the cost, making molten salt economically viable.
The Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority has awarded International Battery an $800,000 grant to develop a bulk energy storage system that will demonstrate the advantages of using large-format lithium batteries for renewable energy integration and smart grid support.
BC Hydro is testing a large-scale energy storage innovation that converts surplus hydropower into hydrogen, which can later be used in a fuel cell to generate power when demand increases. Smart grid technology comes into play in the demonstration project with the use of a microgrid controller to manage the power system by monitoring supply and demand.
With investors kicking in $24 million, Lux Research analyst Kevin See says Ice Energy plans to focus on utilities, where its deployment in peak shaving applications bodes well. But will the economics shake out for ice-energy storage? Some are betting on it; find out who.
Transmission owners are already implementing advanced power electronics for a variety of applications. Now some are taking it a step further to strengthen their systems and account for variable power flows that result from wind and solar penetration. KEMA's Siri Varadan explains why there's never been a better time to investigate what advanced power electronics can achieve.
California legislators passed the country's first energy storage bill this week, which directs state regulators to set targets for utility adoption of cost-effective storage technologies.
ABB and GM will work together on an R&D project to wring a little more life from EV batteries after their life cycle in vehicles is over. The companies will investigate the possibilities of using the batteries for smart grid energy storage.
Can the millions of dollars in stimulus loans the DOE is investing in grid-scale storage show a positive return? After raising that question in a previous column, Lux Research analyst Steven Minnihan gives loan recipients AES Energy Storage and Beacon Power an opportunity to make their case.
A Pennsylvania smart grid pilot program will harness electricity from subway train brakes and store it to be used later as needed or sold to the grid operator. The project is expected to earn $500,000 a year, but there are challenges.
Grid-scale energy storage is expected to take off in the next 10 years as the volume of renewable energy grows, Smart Grid initiatives go online and EVs take to the highways, according to a new report from Pike Research.
Grid-scale storage may not be widespread enough today to defer new transmission, but KEMA storage expert Rick Fioravanti argues it’s an angle worth exploring. As new technologies emerge, it may be closer than you think.
Does the Department of Energy’s investment in grid storage systems make economic sense? Not if you run the numbers, says Lux Research analyst Steven Minnihan, who has done just that.
One of the industry’s leading experts on energy storage technologies is here with insights on Community Energy Storage (CES). KEMA’s Ali Nourai considers CES an attractive and viable storage device for the Smart Grid and believes CES devices can potentially overcome the top three barriers to storage development.
A joint effort by Ford, Xtreme Power and Detroit Edison to build a solar energy system will provide a window into industrial applications for renewable energy, Smart Grid technologies and energy storage.
Flywheel storage system provider Beacon Power will get a $43 million loan guarantee from the Energy Department to complete its 20 MW energy storage plant in Stephentown, New York.
KEMA’s Rick Fioravanti kicks off a new series today with a look at how grid-connected energy storage, including new fast-storage battery and flywheel technologies, can complement regulation response, spinning reserves, renewables balancing and other generation applications.
Nevada and Sicily, Italy may not have much in common, but both will be firing up solar thermal plants incorporating molten salt to store the solar energy created.
Recent moves by Ener1, Sony and others demonstrate industry interest in the still-emerging business models for energy storage. Click inside where Lux Research analyst John Kluza provides details.
What’s touted as the world’s first Lithium ETF was launched by New York-based Global X Funds. Meanwhile, a man described as a ‘true guru’ of the global energy sector offers ideas on energizing a portfolio.
We're getting mixed signals about the vitality of the smart grid market. On the one hand, the recent DistribuTECH conference was one of the most successful ever. On the other, a well-known Wall Street analyst recently told his clients that the smart metering sector is "facing several headwinds," including weak regulatory support in the U.S. and delays in European adoption. Taking the pulse of the smart grid industry is this week's Tuesday Topic.
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