Yesterday, an almond grove in California’s Central Valley hosted the opening of the world’s largest iron-chromium redox flow battery. Originally pioneered by NASA, these flow batteries are emerging as a promising way to store many hours of energy that can be discharged into the power grid when needed. Traditionally, electric generation follows the demands of the daily load cycle. But as more sources of renewable… Keep reading →
That may be an understatement There has been a flurry of reports coming from all directions leading to similar conclusions, namely the demise of the traditional utility business model. The latest is a March 2014 report from an unlikely source, Morgan Stanley, concluding that “improvements in batteries and distributed generation could partly or completely eliminate… Keep reading →
Hawaii has long been plagued by high electricity costs due to the need to import feedstock – predominantly fuel oil and some coal – which is why the prospect of producing more of its own power is attractive. But renewables require energy storage to help balance loads during the ebb and flow of consumption, so… Keep reading →
Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are the major cause of harsh climate change around the world, and transportation accounts for 15% of global GHG emissions. In the US, the transportation sector’s portion of GHG emissions accounts for 28%[1][2]. With the increasing number of automobile vehicles on the roads each day, there is a serious need to transform… Keep reading →
A little over two years ago we reported that utility-scale energy storage could be “around the corner” thanks to flow-battery technology that relies on a rare earth mineral called vanadium. That vision leapt closer to reality last week. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced it will partner with energy storage… Keep reading →
Sunverge sees a future in building and managing customer energy-storage systems as utility assets. Ken Munson, CEO of Stockton, Calif.-based startup Sunverge Energy, doesn’t want you to think of his company’s product as a “battery in a box,” backing up a roof full of solar panels — even if that’s one very accurate way to describe… Keep reading →
Call it the Tesla Truck, the Tesla Pickup Truck, or the Tesla-150, but Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made it clear that the electric carmaker plans to make a pickup truck. In fact, he couldn’t be clearer: he plans to make something to compete with the best-selling light-duty vehicle on American roads: the Ford F-150.… Keep reading →
Originally Posted on TheEnergyCollective.com Before the massive electrical grids and power lines that our current infrastructure relies so heavily upon, batteries were the way we created electricity. As batteries advanced, so did our technological capabilities. From lead-acid to lithium ion, battery technologies dominate the majority our our everyday gadgets, appliances, and amenities. If you don’t believe… Keep reading →
States are battling to entice Tesla Motors to construct a $5 billion lithium-ion battery plant within their borders that could bring as many as 6,500 jobs. This Greentech Media article highlights recent news coming from each potential location – Texas, Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona – and suggests reasons why the factory should be built… Keep reading →
Electric car maker Tesla Motors seeks to release a mass market vehicle in the next 3 years, but first has to cut the cost of its batteries in half. It plans to do this by building economies of scale with a massive lithium-ion battery factory that could cost anywhere from $2 billion to $10 billion… Keep reading →
