PG&E has secured approval to set up a vehicle-to-grid (V2G) export compensation mechanism for commercial EV charging customers in California. Sono Motors is debuting its Sion solar electric vehicles in the US market, while Toyota and Jera are installing innovative second-life battery systems in Japan.

Mango Power has developed a 3.5 kWh battery system that can be expanded up to 14 kWh. The product features LFP battery cells from CATL and can be charged through AC wall outlets, with solar panels, or via electric-vehicle chargers.

While still using conventional lithium-ion raw materials, 24M’s technology is said to reduce the number of steps required to manufacture battery cells and thereby the cost by up to 40%. The US company’s SemiSolid design is also said to deliver improved energy density, safety and recyclability.

Nanotech Energy’s graphene battery uses proprietary electrodes with a thermally stable separator, and non-flammable electrolyte that is said to be inexpensive to manufacture. The technology is said to be superior in terms of safety and competitive in terms of cell performance.

Record energy prices, particularly in Europe, are driving demand for renewables and energy storage. That is changing the equation for utility solar and wind investment and shortening project payback times to under a year in some regions. Storage deployment, driven by recent policy developments around the world, is also expected to get a big boost through to 2030.

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Labs and University of Tennessee have developed a novel fast-charging battery anode material. Plus news updates from GM, Volvo and Shoals Technologies.

U.S. researchers say they have developed a way to make cobalt-free lithium-ion battery cathodes, while Ford says it has broken ground on a new $5.6 billion production complex for electric vehicles and batteries.

US balance-of-system specialist Shoals posted record revenue and gross profit in the second quarter on rising sales of components and strong demand for its combine-as-you-go system.

FlexGen, a US-based storage system integrator, has launched a new modular battery solution for the commercial and industrial market. The FlexPod energy storage system combines lithium iron phosphate batteries, a power conversion system, and HVAC in a single container solution, with a range of configurations.

Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the United States have developed a special class of materials for bulky calcium ions, providing pathways for their facile insertion into battery electrodes.