Energy Storage

Energy Dome’s emission-free energy storage method uses carbon dioxide in a closed loop charge/discharge cycle that can store and dispatch renewable energy onto the grid over periods from four to 24 hours.

NREL modeled solar-plus-storage as a mitigation tool to limit grid upgrade costs, and finds that for now, it’s still a better investment to build stand-alone solar. However, costs are close.

NREL’s final report on the future of storage, drawing from a series of six in-depth studies, presents “key learnings” from across those studies.

US researchers have proposed the use of hydraulically fractured oil and gas wells to store renewable energy via compressed natural gas, with the levelized cost of storage potentially coming in at $70/MWh and $270/MWh. They said wells could also be used to store other renewable gases such as carbon dioxide or hydrogen in the future.

Also on the rise: Largest solar project in Wisconsin gets regulatory approval. Aspen Power to acquire 53MW of community solar projects from Trajectory Energy Partners. 6K awarded $1.5 million Massachusetts manufacturing grant to fund battery recycling equipment. Solar anti-circ investigation may not be determined by Commerce until late August, said ROTH.

Also on the rise: Recurrent Energy sells Gaskell West solar-plus-storage projects to Matrix Renewables. Designs, control strategies for PV-integrated shading devices. EagleView high-resolution aircraft imagery-enabled platform may cut solar sales to install by two weeks. Fronius releases solar design tool. 250MW solar project planned for former West Virginia coal mine.

Stanford researchers develop a device that harvests energy from the temperature difference between the PV cell and the air.

Also on the rise: IREC aims to help 35 states speed interconnection of distributed storage. The second day at SEIA dove into the risks and rewards of solar leasing, as well as a slew of tax considerations. Washington reestablishes its solar incentive program. PECO utility to support commercial EV charging with rebate program. UC Berkeley digs 400 foot hole on campus in geothermal study. SEIA calls on solar workers to highlight impact of Auxin Solar Petition.

Flower Valley I and II put Jupiter many steps closer to its goal of building and operating more than 650MWh of energy storage capacity in ERCOT territory.

Partnership with FirstLight Power focuses on development of new DG solar, DG storage and utility-scale standalone storage at hydropower facilities in Massachusetts and Connecticut.