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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #250 on: May 11, 2016, 02:27:03 PM »
Nissan to launch a new vehicle-to-grid project with Enel in the UK
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Nissan announced a major vehicle-to-grid (V2G) trial project with Enel, a multinational power company, in the UK. The automaker has been exploring V2G systems almost as long as the Nissan LEAF program existed and its latest project is the first of its kind in the UK and one of the company’s biggest to date.

Nissan and Enel will install and connect 100 V2G units (see picture above) for Nissan LEAF and e-NV200 owners.

The V2G units act as two-way chargers and EV owners will have the option to charge their vehicle or sell the excess energy stored from their vehicle battery back to the National Grid. They will earn an income from the electricity sold back to the grid, all while playing an active role in grid stability.
...
Most vehicles participating in the program will likely be equipped with Nissan’s 24 kWh battery pack – meaning that only 2.4 MWh of energy and 240 KW of power can be available under the best case scenario.

But if all 18,000 Nissan electric vehicles in the UK were connected to the energy network, they would generate the equivalent output of a 180 MW power plant. If that was scaled up in a future where all the vehicles on UK roads are electric, vehicle-to-grid technology could generate a virtual power plant of up to 370 GW. This energy capacity would be enough to power the UK, Germany and France, says Nissan.

Tesla is also believed to be working on a similar vehicle-to-grid system based on comments made by Tesla CTO JB Straubel.
http://electrek.co/2016/05/11/nissan-vehicle-to-grid-enel-uk/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #251 on: May 16, 2016, 03:14:43 PM »
Tesla’s second generation Powerwall is coming “in a few weeks”, features more compatibility
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“The main changes are a simplification to the handling and wiring requirements for installers, as well as the introduction of Powerwall compatibility with inverters from SMA, the global residential PV inverter company. SMA is the world’s largest inverter manufacturer by revenue and second largest by shipments, according to GTM Research.”

The current version of the Tesla Powerwall is compatible with the SolarEdge SE7600A-USS 7.6-kW inverter which currently retails on WholesaleSolar.com for $2,944. In comparison, the new Powerwall-compatible SMA Sunny Boy Storage 2.5 is selling for €1,090 ($1,240) in Europe.

Therefore, the updated Powerwall could lower the entry cost of home energy storage even further by both lowering the cost of installation and of required hardware compatible with the device.
http://electrek.co/2016/05/16/teslas-second-gen-powerwall-compatibility/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #252 on: May 18, 2016, 06:52:58 PM »
Improvements keep coming:  194 mile range, 22MPGe.  In a bus!

Proterra unveils a massive new 330 kWh battery pack for its Catalyst XR electric bus
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Proterra, a leading manufacturer of all-electric buses, unveiled this week a new battery pack to power its Catalyst XR bus.... The new pack holds 28 percent more energy which adds up to an impressive 330 kWh of energy capacity.

As of March 2016, Proterra had 63 buses on the roads across 10 states. Now the company says that all current Catalyst XR customers will receive a complimentary upgrade with the new battery pack.
http://electrek.co/2016/05/18/proterra-electric-bus-battery-pack/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #253 on: May 18, 2016, 07:09:51 PM »
Nissan and Eaton introduce home energy storage system with second-life EV batteries
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Nissan and Eaton have partnered to introduce a residential energy storage unit that’s designed to enable customers to take advantage of time-of-use pricing, and to provide back-up power.

The xStorage system is powered by twelve second-life Nissan EV battery modules, and will feature smartphone connectivity. Nissan Design Europe will contribute design expertise to ensure that the unit is aesthetically pleasing (taking a page from Tesla’s book?).
...
The xStorage solution will be available in Europe for pre-order starting in September. The starting price for a 4.2 kWh (nominal) system, including installation, is €4,000 (US$4,600).
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/nissan-and-eaton-introduce-home-energy-storage-system-with-second-life-ev-batteries/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #254 on: May 29, 2016, 06:01:44 PM »
New study: Lithium cost swings unlikely to impact battery prices
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In “The cost of lithium is unlikely to upend the price of Li-ion storage systems,” published in Journal of Power Sources, Rebecca Ciez and Jay Whitacre explain how they analyzed multiple lithium-ion battery chemistries and cell formats to see whether extreme lithium price variations would have a substantial impact. They found that even large fluctuations in the global lithium price would not change the cost of lithium-ion cells by more than 10%.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/new-study-lithium-cost-swings-unlikely-to-impact-battery-prices/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #255 on: June 01, 2016, 12:21:43 PM »
With the focus on ramping up production for the Model 3 car, Elon Musk now aims to triple the battery output from the Gigafactory in Nevada.  The new cells will be slightly larger than the ones currently being used.

Tesla could triple the planned battery output of ‘Gigafactory 1’ to 150 GWh, says Elon Musk
http://electrek.co/2016/05/31/tesla-triple-battery-output-gigafactory-1-150-gwh-elon-musk/
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JayW

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #256 on: June 01, 2016, 12:58:23 PM »
A couple articles that might be of interest.

"Lithium-Ion Battery Expert Jeff Dahn About To Start At Tesla Motors"

Snippet
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As part of its ongoing expansion efforts following the great success of the Model 3 reveal, and as reported a year ago, Tesla has secured an exclusive contract with the noted battery researcher Jeff Dahn (of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia).

The new contract begins on June 8th, and will see Dahn working to increase the performance of the company’s (already cutting-edge) batteries. Dahn will reportedly be doing “whatever it takes” to improve performance.
http://cleantechnica.com/2016/05/30/lithium-ion-battery-expert-jeff-dahn-start-tesla-motors/

And also this article that discusses why lithium ion batteries will likely be around for a while.

"Lithium-Ion Will Be Tough To Beat, Says Argonne Battery Whiz"

Snippet
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People who are working on next-generation batteries often put lithium-ion down, saying the current technology is too costly, too flammable, or too limited to meet the clean energy and clean transportation demands of the future.

But four years into a five-year effort to develop a better battery at Argonne National Laboratory, one Argonne engineer concedes Li-ion will be tough to beat in the marketplace.

“It’s just going to be incredibly difficult for other battery technologies to catch up with it,” said Kevin Gallagher, an electrochemical engineer, in an appearance this week at the University of Chicago. “I think that’s the lesson that a lot of new battery technologies are learning—definitely."
Quote
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2016/05/26/lithium-ion-will-be-tough-to-beat-says-argonne-battery-whiz/#5227167875d3

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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #257 on: June 01, 2016, 11:53:24 PM »
Amprius demonstrates new tool for manufacturing of silicon nanowire anodes
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Battery manufacturer Amprius has demonstrated a new system for inline, continuous, and roll-to-roll production of three-dimensional silicon nanowire anodes that it says will enable it to scale up manufacturing more quickly.

Silicon is widely considered to be the next big thing in anode technology – battery-builders and automakers (including Tesla) are working on ways to take advantage of its high theoretical charge capacity.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/amprius-demonstrates-new-tool-for-manufacturing-of-silicon-nanowire-anodes/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #258 on: June 04, 2016, 03:55:36 PM »
Samsung SDI drops fuel cells, will concentrate on batteries
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“The money that will be saved from the sale of the fuel cell business will be used to boost energy solution-related businesses such as batteries for EVs and energy storage systems,” said an official.

Samsung SDI plans to invest more than 3 trillion won (about $2.5 billion) in batteries for EVs and related parts over the next five years.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/samsung-sdi-drops-fuel-cells-will-concentrate-on-batteries/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #259 on: June 10, 2016, 07:59:41 PM »
Never mind.... 

New papers cast doubt on lithium-air breakthrough
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The breakthrough is not a breakthrough, and we are in a sense no further along in lithium-air than we were,” Viswanathan told Quartz.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/new-papers-cast-doubt-on-lithium-air-breakthrough/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #260 on: June 13, 2016, 08:08:36 PM »
This should speed up battery research considerably:  a searchable database of material properties now includes nearly 1,500 compounds investigated for multivalent intercalation electrodes and more than 21,000 organic molecules relevant for liquid electrolytes.

Materials Project releases trove of battery-related materials data to the public
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The sheer volume and scope of the data is unprecedented, said Materials Project Director Kristin Persson. “As far as the multivalent cathodes, there’s nothing similar in the world that exists. Experimentalists are usually able to focus on one of these materials at a time. Using calculations, we’ve added data on 1,500 different compositions.”

The recent release also includes two new web apps – the Molecules Explorer and the Redox Flow Battery Dashboard – plus an add-on to the Battery Explorer app enabling researchers to work with other ions in addition to lithium.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/materials-project-releases-trove-of-battery-related-materials-data-to-the-public/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #261 on: June 21, 2016, 09:06:40 PM »
For those who think a plain old battery pack looks great!

BMW unveils new repurpose battery storage system and grid offset ‘ChargeForward’ solutions at EV29
http://electrek.co/2016/06/21/bmw-unveils-new-vehicle-to-grid-and-repurpose-system-for-i3-batteries-to-power-your-home/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #262 on: June 23, 2016, 04:32:46 AM »
“We’re trying to have the non-weird future get here as fast as possible,” Musk said.

Utility Dive:  Solar plus storage: With SolarCity deal, Tesla aims to speed clean energy transition
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You’d walk into the Tesla store and say: ‘I’d like a great solar solution with a battery and an electric car,’ and in five minutes you’re done,” Musk said. “It’s completely painless, seamless, easy and that’s what the customer wants.”

Integrating the products would allow the companies to cut customer acquisition costs and “increase significantly” the sales per square foot in Tesla stores. It would also cut down on visits to customer homes for each product.

“Instead of having say three trips to a house to put in a car charger and solar panels and a battery pack, you can just integrate that into a single business, and from a consumer standpoint everything will just work together really well,” Musk said.

Offering a fuller spectrum of products may help Tesla sell more of all of them, said Tesla CTO JB Straubel. “Certainly the vast majority of Powerwall customers are interested in solar. There’s a great overlap there.”

While offering no details on those future SolarCity offerings, Musk did say that Tesla customers could expect an electric vehicle charger integrated with home batteries and solar, likely sometime next year.
...
What the deal means for utilities

Beyond the residential market, there may be even greater value in offering Tesla’s integrated products to the utility sector. Last summer, Musk told the annual convention of the Edison Electric Institute that he anticipates the utility-scale Powerpack storage product will comprise between 90% and 95% of Tesla’s total stationary storage sales.

Since then, Tesla has been working to partner with utilities, both on residential and grid-scale storage. In December, it announced a pilot project with Vermont’s Green Mountain Power where customers can finance Powerwall home battery systems through their utility bill.
http://www.utilitydive.com/news/solarcity-tesla-deal-/421370/
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johnm33

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #263 on: June 23, 2016, 05:01:35 PM »
Interesting idea, getting off the ground, http://bilbo.economicoutlook.net/blog/?p=33881
" It is the first energy storage bulk-buy campaign in Australia and Newcastle is the first city to launch this initiative which will see hundreds of households go off the energy grid and rely on our copious supply of free solar energy. The bulk-buy campaign is a cooperative (not for profit) venture which allows many households to team up to achieve low cost purchases of storage batteries, panels (if you haven’t already got them) and receive technical advice to cut through the complexity of the technology. Our household, which already is ‘off the grid’ during daylight hours (thanks to our solar panels) will soon be able to store our excess electricity we generate during daylight hours and use it up at nights instead of exporting it into the national grid at ridiculously low prices (thanks to the power (excuse the pun) that the power companies have over state government policy. So we are off tonight to get a big mutha of a battery at discounted prices (due to the bulk buy) and free ourselves of the high charges the power companies."

Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #264 on: June 23, 2016, 08:23:14 PM »
Schools and universities are jumping on the energy storage bandwagon.

Cal State University energy storage project will "represent the largest advanced electrical storage project at an educational institution in the nation."
Quote
Under the contract, Tesla will supply AMS with up to 500 MWh of energy storage. The two companies already completed a few projects under the contract, including several office buildings in Irvine....

With this new project, Cal State University expects to reduce its utility costs by more than $3.3 million (via City News Service):
http://electrek.co/2016/06/23/tesla-energy-powerpack-cal-state-university/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #265 on: June 23, 2016, 09:41:00 PM »
“The exit rate of cells from Gigafactory will be faster than bullets from a machine gun.”

Tesla will add new section (5th) to the Gigafactory by December and Battery cell manufacturing equipment by July 20th
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During a conference call with analysts yesterday, Elon briefly talked about battery cell manufacturing at the plant:

“The exit rate of cells from Gigafactory will be faster than bullets from a machine gun.”

The comment is in reference to his new outlook on manufacturing which he boiled down with his physics first principles approach. He sees any manufacturing output of plant as a simple equation: volume times density times velocity – with the velocity being “faster than bullets from a machine gun” in the case of battery cells at the Gigafactory.

He also recently referred to Panasonic’s manufacturing equipment at the factory as the most impressive machines there, but he also said that Tesla was not able to show them during the factory tour. Maybe they could make an exception for the Gigafactory opening event?
http://electrek.co/2016/06/23/tesla-gigafactory-new-section-fifth-battery-cell-manufacturing-equipment/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #266 on: June 28, 2016, 07:24:13 PM »
Top 6 tidbits about Tesla’s Gigafactory revealed through building permits
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It’s no secret that Tesla’s $5 billion dollar Gigafactory 1 located just east of Reno, Nevada will be a critical component to the company’s goal of scaling mass production of batteries for its upcoming Model 3 and Tesla Energy product line. We know the Gigafactory will be one of the largest buildings in the world projected to occupy 13.6 million square feet, and we know the factory will be powered by renewable energy sources, with the goal of achieving net zero energy. However, construction permits filed by Tesla provide even more interesting insight to Gigafactory 1 that you may not already know.
...
1) July 29 launch event attendees may witness battery cells being made   

Construction permit #0934363 indicates that the $51 million dollar “Battery Cell Manufacturing Equipment Installation” project is estimated to be complete on July 20th. This means that attendees of the highly anticipated July 29 Gigafactory ‘Grand Opening’ event may actually have the opportunity to see battery cells being manufactured.
...
http://www.teslarati.com/top-6-tidbits-about-tesla-gigafactory-revealed-through-building-permits/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #267 on: July 05, 2016, 02:26:26 PM »
SiNode Systems wins $4-million contract to develop silicon-graphene anode materials
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SiNode’s technology uses a composite of silicon and graphene in a layered structure designed to overcome technical hurdles to silicon anodes such as volumetric expansion and unstable SEI that leads to poor cycle life.

The SiNode materials architecture disperses silicon nanoparticles within a flexible 3D graphene network that stabilizes the Si active material during charge and discharge, leading to minimal volume change during cycling. The graphene also offers enhanced electronic conductivity.

SiNode says that its technology offers 43% more energy density (Wh/L) and 42% more specific energy (Wh/kg) over leading artificial graphite, as well as a 47% advantage in volumetric capacity over competing silicon technologies.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/sinode-systems-wins-4-million-contract-to-develop-silicon-graphene-anode-materials/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #268 on: July 15, 2016, 12:51:03 AM »
Modular batteries.  "Automotive tested high end technology."

Kreisel Electric’s MAVERO home energy storage system
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Austrian battery manufacturer Kreisel Electric has introduced the new MAVERO wall-mounted home energy storage system. The Li-ion battery packs are available in four different sizes, with usable capacity ranging from 8 kWh to 22 kWh.

The system’s discharge power ranges from 4.8 to 9.6 kW, and voltage ranges from 288 to 384 V. Efficiency is 96%. (Kreisel offers a comparison with Tesla’s Powerwall, which offers 3.3 kW and 92.5% round-trip DC efficiency.)

The MAVERO system is compact (41×55 inches), and is designed to be installed quickly by a single technician. The modular design allows additional capacity to be added later.

MAVERO is designed to provide enough energy each day for the average household. The models MAVERO 20 and 28 offer higher capacity for charging EVs.

First deliveries are planned for early 2017. The retail price is expected to be under €700 per kWh.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/kreisel-electrics-mavero-home-energy-storage-system/
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TerryM

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #269 on: July 15, 2016, 03:27:44 AM »
A question re. sustainability.
Is the lithium used in a battery cell recoverable after the cell has ended it's useful lifetime?
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ghoti

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #270 on: July 15, 2016, 03:33:47 AM »
yes. Almost everything in it is recyclable.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #271 on: July 16, 2016, 12:07:42 AM »
Another fun fact:  Tesla's (and I suspect many other) "Lithium Ion" batteries are only about 2% lithium.  Most of the battery is nickel and graphite. :)

Edit: Also, no rare earth minerals are used.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2016, 04:43:23 AM by Sigmetnow »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #272 on: July 16, 2016, 01:13:36 AM »
Tesla and AMS to install Powerpacks inside Morgan Stanley’s San Francisco skyscraper
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SAN FRANCISCO, June 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ — Advanced Microgrid Solutions (AMS) today announced that it has been selected to transform San Francisco’s distinguished skyscraper, One Maritime Plaza, into the City’s first Hybrid Electric Building® using Tesla Powerpack batteries. The groundbreaking technology upgrade will lower costs, increase grid and building resiliency, and reduce the building’s demand for electricity from the sources that most negatively impact the environment.

Building owner Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing hired SF-based Advanced Microgrid Solutions, to design, build and operate the project. The 500 kilowatt/1,000 kilowatt-hour indoor battery system will provide One Maritime Plaza with the ability to store clean energy and control demand from the electric grid. The technology enables the building to shift from grid to battery power to conserve electricity in the same way a hybrid-electric car conserves gasoline.

The energy storage system at One Maritime Plaza will reduce the building’s peak energy demand by as much as twenty percent. In California, peaker plants – power plants that run only when there is a high demand for electricity – account for approximately fifteen percent of the state’s power fleet. These plants are by design the least efficient fossil generators and, when they do run, produce more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions than any other type of fossil generation.
http://electrek.co/2016/07/15/tesla-ams-powerpacks-morgan-stanleys-sf-skycraper/
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sidd

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #273 on: July 16, 2016, 05:46:42 AM »
Re : sustainability of batteries with nickel

Norilsk is the poster child for unsustainable nickel mining, and truly horrible impact.

Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #274 on: July 21, 2016, 09:44:10 PM »
Liquid-cooled Supercharger cables!

Tesla ends its thin, liquid-cooled Supercharger wire experiment in Mountain View, but the tech lives on
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Tesla’s Mountain View Supercharger has always been a little different from the rest.  Not only is it located at the world-famous Computer History Museum – where Tesla sometimes holds events, but until recently, it was also running an experiment utilizing propylene-glycol-cooled supercharging cables…

These cables are thinner and more flexible than the standard Supercharger cables which are about as thick as gas station hoses and sometimes more unwieldy, especially in cold weather when they become less flexible
http://electrek.co/2016/07/21/tesla-ends-its-thin-liquid-cooled-supercharger-wire-experiment-in-mountain-view-but-the-tech-lives-on/
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #275 on: July 28, 2016, 04:50:04 PM »
Notes and photos from the gigafactory tour.  The batteries made here will be a new format (explained below) and will be called, "21-70” batteries.

Tesla Gigafactory tour roundup and tidbits: ‘This is the coolest factory in the world’
Quote
As expected, most of the new information came from the announcement press conference and Q&A that followed. When it was my turn, I asked the status of the “20700” battery that has been reported to be going into Model 3. It is an upgrade from the long built ‘18650’ standard that has been used by Tesla since the Roadster.... The 18650 name is just the form factor – meaning 18mm diameter and 65mm long. Similarly, the 20700 is a 20mm diameter and 70mm high.

Elon and JB [Straubel] elaborated with the following:

- They actually changed the size to 21mm diameter and a 70mm height. They also got rid of the trailing ‘0’ so the name of the battery that will be going into the Model 3 is the ’21-70′
- JB Straubel says Tesla developed this battery this size by starting without preconceived notions. They then optimized for efficiency, size and output. The 18650 standard was called an accident of history though it had served Tesla and others well.  Tesla says it predicts that this new 21-70 battery size will become a new standard.
- The half centimeter height increase for the car packs would be offset with more efficient battery packaging which will make the packs actually the same thickness or less than current packs and obviously with a higher energy density.
- Musk noted that once the 21-70s were in mass production, they could find their way into existing Tesla car battery packs for the Model S and X as well as the Powerwall.

The quotes via CleanTech:

JB: “We’ve spent a lot of time on this actually. It’s kind of interesting. There are a bunch of tradeoffs. There are some things that get better when you make the cell size bigger, and some things that get worse. 18650 was sort of an accident of history. That was what was standardized for early products. So we revisited all of those tradeoffs and came to this size, which is quite a bit bigger. If you have them next to each other, the actual volume of materials inside is substantially more. And overall it’s about cost optimization.”

Elon: “It really comes from the first principles of physics and economics. That’s the way we try to analyze everything. To say like if no cell existed in the world, what size should it be? What is the size that would achieve the product characteristics we’re looking for, but would be fundamentally optimal? 18650 is not optimal.”

Some other notes from the Q&A:

Tesla expects to hit the $100/kWh mark at or before 2020 for batteries which is close to the inflection point at which it begins costs less to build an electric powertrain than ICE even without subsidies or the savings of electricity vs. gas.

When asked whether Tesla will become a power company or “Energy player” , Straubel nodded to Musk and said yep. There are clearly some interesting plans here.
http://electrek.co/2016/07/28/tesla-gigafactory-tour-roundup-and-tidbits-this-is-the-coolest-factory-ever/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #276 on: July 30, 2016, 01:06:40 AM »
Quote
Elon Musk:  Should mention that Gigafactory will be fully powered by clean energy when complete & include battery recycling
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/758351232356397056
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #277 on: July 30, 2016, 02:21:55 AM »
 For those who worry about where Tesla will get the money for the gigafactory:

Tesla Gigafactory: Panasonic is raising $3.9 billion, strategic investment ‘mostly’ for battery factory in response to Model 3 demand
Quote
Following its earnings today, the Japanese electronics giant announced  it would raise up to 400 billion yen ($3.86 billion) in corporate bonds, and confirmed that most of the money to be used as strategic investments will go to Tesla’s Gigafactory in the near term.

Earlier this year, Panasonic confirmed that it plans to invest $1.6 billion in the Gigafactory, but a company official also said that encouraged by the demand for the Model 3, they are ready to move up their investment schedule if asked by Tesla.

Tesla CTO JB Straubel confirmed this week that by accelerating their planned production ramp up for the Model 3 by two years, they also had to accelerate their Gigafactory plans by two years and this looks like Panasonic’s response.
http://electrek.co/2016/07/29/tesla-gigafactory-panasonic-raising-3-9-billion-strategic-investment-model-3-demand/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #278 on: July 30, 2016, 03:05:46 PM »
Elon Musk and JB Strubel presentation at Gigafactory opening.  Explains the need for the factory, and the efficiency they are building into it. "Like a CPU."
15 minute video, Tesla production version.

https://www.tesla.com/videos/tesla-gigafactory-launch
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #279 on: July 30, 2016, 03:27:37 PM »
Bloomberg's take:

Elon Musk Says It’s ‘Pencils Down’ for Tesla’s Model 3
The designs are finished, and the massive—even 'romantic'—Gigafactory is spinning into motion.
Quote
Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk told a roomful of reporters on Tuesday that the final designs for Tesla's $35,000 electric Model 3 were locked up two weeks ago, and the company is moving forward on schedule to start producing them next summer. That was just the beginning.
...
1. Battery prices are falling to $100 per kilowatt hour
This fact may sound esoteric, but it's incredibly important. Batteries make up a third of the price of an electric car and are the only reason these vehicles have been more expensive than their gasoline counterparts. Musk said he's confident the company will reach a price of $100/kWh by 2020 (down from an average price of $1,200 in 2010). If he's right, the economics of electric cars will flip, as will the case for battery-backed solar power.
...
2. Battery costs are falling for three reasons
Cheaper materials, a shorter supply chain, and factory automation. The first is straightforward: Buying at Gigafactory scale lowers the procurement costs of raw materials such as lithium.

Supply chain costs are where some of the real breakthroughs are coming. Making a battery pack typically requires components from a dozen manufacturers. Each of those products must be built, packaged, shipped around the world, unpackaged, assembled together into a pack, repackaged, and shipped again.

That's not how things will work at the Gigafactory. Tesla plans to build a train line connecting the Gigafactory to its auto factory 240 miles away in Fremont, Calif. The Gigafactory will produce every aspect of the battery packs. Raw materials will enter the factory at one end, and finished packs will exit from the other end—on a train straight to Fremont. 
...
3. The Gigafactory has already cut the fossil-fuel lines for Tesla
Tesla cut and capped the natural gas line leading to the Gigafactory, so there's no going back to on-site fossil fuels. There's also no diesel generator for backup power. That means Tesla must rely on electricity for manufacturing processes that require heat, an unusual step for a major plant of any type.
By the time the facility is fully up and running, the Gigafactory is meant to be net zero for energy, powered mostly by onsite solar backed with batteries.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-07-27/elon-musk-says-it-s-pencils-down-for-tesla-s-model-3
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #280 on: August 10, 2016, 07:23:21 PM »
Flax straw extract improves aluminum-air battery performance
Quote
The aluminum-air battery, which uses a catalytic air cathode and an aluminum anode, has intrigued researchers for some time, because of its high theoretical specific energy. However, the problem is overcoming parasitic hydrogen evolution caused by the corrosion of the aluminum anode during discharge.

In “Improvement of Aluminum-Air Battery Performances by the Application of Flax Straw Extract,” a team from Israel and Russia reports that they were able to substantially improve the performance of Al-air batteries by using flax straw extract as a corrosion inhibitor.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/flax-straw-extract-improves-aluminum-air-battery-performance/


Interesting article on aluminum-air batteries:  (Things are not as simple as "running on air" might suggest.)
Phinergy CEO on aluminum-air batteries and 1,000-mile range-extended EVs
Quote
“We are working on a scheme whereby the gas station will take the valuable aluminum hydroxide, and refill the water or regenerate your electrolyte,” Tzidon said. “We don’t know the process yet, but the waste has value. So instead of the gas station charging you for petrol, they will assist you, charging us for collecting the material. This replacement is equivalent in time to fast charge or battery replacement. You download 20 gallons, and you upload 20 gallons. In the gas station, there is a machine pump we give them that filters your used electrolyte. It splits aluminum hydroxide to the left and fresh electrolyte to the right. Then a new customer comes in and takes yesterday’s electrolyte that was refurbished at night. That 20 gallons of water will be equivalent to another 300-400 miles from the aluminum-air battery. So you have the lowest complexity we can imagine influencing the infrastructure. ...”
https://chargedevs.com/features/phinergy-ceo-explains-aluminum-air-batteries-for-1000-mile-range-extended-evs/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #281 on: August 14, 2016, 04:40:58 PM »
Scotland's energy storage:  pumped storage and more.

Scotland blows away the competition – 106% of electricity needs from wind – joins select club
Quote
Of course, wind energy is only generated when the wind blows. The intermittent nature of wind power means a form of storing this energy must be developed – Scotland is working on this as well. While ideas like the Strathdearn Pumped Hydro scheme are continental scale intellectual exercises at the moment, Scotland’s Cruachan pumped-storage facility is very real and can deliver power from a cold start in two minutes or 30 seconds if the pumps are primed. A recent study was completed looking to double the size of the current plant – ScottishPower would need to invest between US$418 million to $557 million to complete the projected eight- to 10-year endeavor if the UK government approves all aspects of the expansion process.
...
Scotland has also pushed other forms of energy storage (PDF):

There are several islands in Scotland where energy storage is used to facilitate renewables, including Orkney (Li-ion, 2 MW, operational 2013), Isle of Eigg (lead acid, 212 kWh, operational 2008 & flywheels, 200kW, operational 2014), Isle of Gigha (vanadium, 1.25 MWh, est. operational mid 2015), and Unst (hydrogen fuel cell).
https://electrek.co/2016/08/14/scotland-electricity-needs-from-wind/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #282 on: August 15, 2016, 04:17:11 PM »
 Just add water....   ;D

Dissolving Battery Could Help Spies and Environment
http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/dissolving-battery-could-help-spies-environment-n626801
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #283 on: August 18, 2016, 09:00:37 PM »
New X-ray microscopy technique reveals the secret life of batteries
Quote
In pursuit of their quest for more capable batteries, scientists are searching for better ways to observe battery particles as they charge and discharge in real time. A new technique developed at Berkeley Lab’s Advanced Light Source is providing researchers with nanoscale images of the electrochemical reactions that make lithium-ion batteries do their thing.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/new-x-ray-microscopy-technique-reveals-the-secret-life-of-batteries/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #284 on: August 25, 2016, 08:47:47 PM »
Tesla Model 3: P100D is a test bed for Tesla’s third-generation battery pack technology
Quote
The pack is definitely more energy dense. From the 90 kWh pack, the energy increased by 11%, but the weight of the pack only by 4%, which means that Tesla achieved a significant battery energy density increase at the pack level since the introduction of the 90 kWh pack just over a year ago (July 2015).

The improvement was achieved through the development of Tesla’s third-generation platform on which the Model 3 will be the first vehicle to launch. Tesla CTO JB Straubel confirmed last year that the automaker was developing the new platform and battery architecture for the Model 3.

Straubel also commented on the new pack:

“It is a pretty big change on the battery module and pack technology. It’s a complete redo of the cooling system, which is quite unique to Tesla and that we have been improving on for many years. This new pack is the next version of that. “

Straubel also specified that the goal with the P100D was for the pack’s external to stay the same in order for retrofits to be available for current owners. It means that the energy density improvement is really at the module level.
https://electrek.co/2016/08/25/tesla-model-3-p100d-test-bed-third-generation-battery-pack-technology/


Quote
Musk made it clear during a press conference that this upgrade will be the limit of the current pack form with the current battery cell. Any upgrade in energy capacity would only become available with the new battery cell:

“We are quite close to theoretical limit,” Musk said
https://electrek.co/2016/08/23/tesla-100-kwh-battery-pack-quickest-car-ever/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #285 on: August 31, 2016, 04:41:33 PM »
Samsung announces its own ‘Gigafactory’ in Hungary, plans enough batteries for 50,000 EVs per year
Quote
At an average of 50 kWh per vehicle, it would add up to ~2.5 GWh of capacity. It’s nowhere near Tesla’s planned output, but it’s a significant increase in what Samsung says will be a short period of time.
...
The plant will serve European automotive manufacturers in Central and Eastern Europe. Jeong SehWoong, Executive Vice President & Head of Automotive & ESS Business division, said on the announcement:

“By launching construction for the plant in Hungary, we now can set up the global triangular production structure for electric vehicle batteries. We can especially provide higher quality services to European customers in Europe by generating synergy with SDIBS.”
https://electrek.co/2016/08/31/samsung-sdi-gigafactory-hungary-plans-batteries-50000-evs-per-year/

Here's a picture of the pouch cells they plan to produce at the plant:
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #286 on: September 01, 2016, 02:51:52 PM »
Article is mostly about EVs, but:
Quote
Blink and you missed the announcement. But last Friday, the UK’s much criticised energy supply grid system entered what is being seen as a “new era” with the announcement that eight large battery systems are being built to cope with the growing influx of wind and solar power.

The deal – the largest of its kind in Europe – will see seven companies, including Sweden’s Vattenfall and UK-based Renewable Energy Systems, install eight lithium-ion battery systems around Britain.

“This is the single largest contract in Europe we’ve ever seen for storage and the largest of its kind globally since August last year,” Logan Goldie-Scot, head of energy storage at the Bloomberg New Energy Finance research group told the Financial Times.
http://priceofoil.org/2016/08/31/mass-adoption-of-electric-vehicles-is-much-sooner-than-most-people-realize/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #287 on: September 06, 2016, 02:08:51 AM »
Stationary storage cost cut by half by 2018?

Bloomberg: Second-life EV battery storage will total 26 GWh by 2025
Quote
In a new report for clients, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) forecasts that there will be 29 GWh of used EV batteries available in 2025. This far exceeds the size of the current stationary storage market. Of this, almost a third will get a second life as stationary storage (10 GWh), bringing the cumulative installed total to 26 GWh.

Senior BNEF analyst Claire Curry notes that today, a new stationary storage system can cost up to $1,000/kWh. By 2018, used EV batteries could cost as little as $49/kWh, plus about $400/kWh to convert them to stationary applications.

Numerous companies, including Nissan, Renault, Daimler, BMW and Siemens, are already demonstrating stationary storage systems using second-life batteries.
https://chargedevs.com/newswire/bloomberg-second-life-ev-battery-storage-will-total-26-gwh-by-2025/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #288 on: September 15, 2016, 09:13:53 PM »
Tesla to deploy ‘largest li-ion battery project in the world’ with 80 MWh in Powerpacks
Tesla announced today that it won a contract for the “largest li-ion battery project in the world”. It will deploy a 20 MW/80 MWh Powerpack system at the Southern California Edison Mira Loma substation.
Quote
Here’s the blog post in full:

Addressing Peak Energy Demand with the Tesla Powerpack

Last October, a catastrophic rupture in the Aliso Canyon natural gas reservoir caused a methane gas spill that displaced more than 8,000 Californians and released an unprecedented 1.6 million pounds of methane into the atmosphere. Today, the Aliso Canyon leak is considered the worst in U.S. history, with aggregate greenhouse gas emissions said to outweigh those of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Following the disaster, authorities closed the Aliso Canyon facility, which had been feeding the network of natural gas peaker plants in the Los Angeles basin, deeming it unfit to store the fuel safely and environmentally.

One year later, Los Angeles is still in need of an electric energy solution that ensures reliability during peak times. As winter approaches, homes and buildings in the basin will need more natural gas for heat. These demands apply uncharacteristically high pressure to the energy system, exposing the Los Angeles basin to a heightened risk of rolling blackouts.

Following the leak, California Governor Jerry Brown issued a state of emergency, and in May, the California Public Utilities Commission mandated an accelerated procurement for energy storage. Southern California Edison, among other utilities, was directed to solicit a utility-scale storage solution that could be operational by December 31, 2016. Unlike traditional electric generators, batteries can be deployed quickly at scale and do not require any water or gas pipelines.

Last week, through a competitive process, Tesla was selected to provide a 20 MW/80 MWh Powerpack system at the Southern California Edison Mira Loma substation. Tesla was the only bidder awarded a utility-owned storage project out of the solicitation.

Upon completion, this system will be the largest lithium ion battery storage project in the world. When fully charged, this system will hold enough energy to power more than 2,500 households for a day or charge 1,000 Tesla vehicles.

The Gigafactory’s ability to produce at a large scale will allow this system to be manufactured, shipped, installed and commissioned in three months. The system will charge using electricity from the grid during off-peak hours and then deliver electricity during peak hours to help maintain the reliable operation of Southern California Edison’s electrical infrastructure which feeds more than 15 million residents. By doing so, the Tesla Powerpack system will reduce the need for electricity generated by natural gas and further the advancement of a resilient and modern grid.

In order to achieve a sustainable energy future, one which has high penetration of solar and electric vehicles, the world needs a two-way, flexible electric grid. The electric power industry is the last great industry which has not seen the revolutionary effects of storage. Working in close collaboration with Southern California Edison, the Tesla Powerpack system will be a landmark project that truly heralds the new age of storage on the electric grid.
https://electrek.co/2016/09/15/tesla-to-deploy-largest-li-ion-battery-project-in-the-world-with-80-mwh-in-powerpacks/

"We are talking about an installation with 800 Powerpacks. Here’s a rendering of what a utility-scale Powerpack project could look like:"
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #289 on: September 22, 2016, 08:30:27 PM »
BMW and Bosch open new 2.8 MWh energy storage facility built from batteries from over 100 electric cars
Quote
BMW has a couple of initiatives to give a second life to used battery packs from its electric vehicles. Earlier this year, the German automaker announced a wall mounted battery storage system, not unlike the Tesla Powerwall, using BMW i3 22 kWh or 33kWh battery packs.

Today it announced that it completed and started testing, in partnership with Bosch, a new utility-scale energy storage facility again using used electric vehicle battery packs –  but the scale is much more impressive.

The new power station is located in Hamburg, Germany. It uses 2,600 battery modules from more than 100 electric vehicles for a total power capacity of 2 MW and a storage capacity of 2.8 MWh.

The system is used to stabilize the grid and reduce the impact of peak demand. Vattenfall, the energy company operating the project, highlights the advantage of battery packs that can just turn on in a matter of seconds.
https://electrek.co/2016/09/22/bmw-bosch-energy-storage-facility-built-from-batteries-from-over-100-electric-cars/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #290 on: September 25, 2016, 03:43:18 PM »
Wow!  Big increase in the Gigafactory building.

Tesla Gigafactory: new aerial shots show plant more than doubling in size [September 2016 update]
Quote
Back in July, Tesla officially inaugurated the first phase of its Gigafactory in Nevada – the first 4 sections of the building seen above. Now new aerial pictures show that the automaker is already well on its way to bring up the structures for 4 more sections to more than double the size of the already massive plant.
...
Of course, that’s also only a fraction of the overall building once completed. Tesla aims for the Gigafactory to become the biggest building in the world by footprint at 5.8 million square feet and second largest building in the world by total square footage of over 13 million.

All that space will be used to more than double the world’s li-ion battery production with 150 GWh of potential annual capacity in order to support Tesla’s Model 3 program and its stationary energy storage products.
https://electrek.co/2016/09/25/tesla-gigafactory-aerial-shots-september-2016-update/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #291 on: September 26, 2016, 08:35:07 PM »
Tesla and AMS win another major energy storage contract, 34 MWh of battery capacity for water treatment facilities
Quote
This new energy storage system should help reduce peak demand for the water treatment facilities and stabilize its energy consumption.

Tesla will supply the battery packs, around 370 Powerpacks, but AMS will design, finance, install and operate energy storage systems at IRWD facilities. Under a 10-year power-purchase agreement with Southern California Edison (SCE), the same power company that contracted Tesla for the major 80 MWh Powerpack system at Mira Loma substation, AMS will manage load reduction using the battery pack system as SCE’s grid requires.

IRWD expects to see cost savings of more than $500,000 per year on its energy bill with the new project.
https://electrek.co/2016/09/26/tesla-and-ams-win-another-major-energy-storage-contract-34-mwh-of-battery-capacity-for-water-treatment-facilities/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #292 on: September 30, 2016, 08:33:06 PM »
Netherlands energy company subsidizes hundreds of Tesla Powerwalls to create ‘virtual power plant’
Quote
Rotterdam-based Eneco announced the new initiative today. Homeowners who decide to join CrowdNett authorize Eneco to manage a percentage of the energy stored in their home battery pack by charging or discharging at specific moments.

With a network of these batteries, Eneco can automatically supply reserve capacity to the national power grid.

The company plans to deploy 400 Tesla Powerwalls through the CrowdNett program. With a peak power output of 7 kW, it would give Eneco the potential capacity to shave 2.8 MW off the peak demand.
https://electrek.co/2016/09/30/tesla-powerwall-eneco-virtual-power-plant/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #293 on: October 04, 2016, 02:50:15 PM »
Residential battery storage, replacing generators, could help customers smooth out any hiccups while power grids transition to clean energy -- or deal with extreme weather, as shown here:

73-year-old Tesla Powerwall owner powers through South Australia’s state-wide blackout without even knowing
https://electrek.co/2016/10/04/tesla-powerwall-owner-powers-through-south-australias-state-wide-blackout/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #294 on: October 05, 2016, 02:53:51 PM »
Tesla’s Powerpack will power an off-grid solar system at a luxury safari lodge in Africa
Quote
The company announced last night that it has been contracted by Singita, a luxury safari lodge in the Kruger National Park in South Africa... to deploy a 750kW/3,150kWh Powerpack system for an off-grid solar and energy storage installation.

We are talking about a significant system with roughly 31 Powerpacks.

Tesla recently announced several large Powerpack projects, but they were all tied to the grid. This new project is a rare off-grid installation for Tesla and it will be an interesting opportunity to showcase the potential of the Powerpacks for off-grid systems with solar in remote areas.
https://electrek.co/2016/10/05/tesla-powerpack-power-off-grid-solar-system-safari-lodge-africa/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #295 on: October 13, 2016, 02:37:26 PM »
“Blackout proofing has become a really big point. People are sick of the grid in general and the high electricity prices,”

Tesla Powerwall sees a ’30 times’ increase in demand after Australia’s blackouts
https://electrek.co/2016/10/13/tesla-powerwall-sees-a-30-times-increase-in-demand-after-australias-blackouts/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #296 on: October 27, 2016, 01:44:46 AM »
LG is bringing its home battery pack to the US
Quote
As Tesla is set to unveil its second generation home battery pack, the Powerwall, on Friday, LG Chem announced today that it is bringing its own home battery pack to the US market. The South Korean company is partnering with SunRun, a solar installer that was already distributing the Tesla Powerwall.

The deal announced this morning is not exclusive for either company. LG Chem can still sell its ‘Energy Storage System(ESS) for household use’ to other distributors and SunRun can offer other home battery packs to its solar customers.

The residential version of LG’s energy storage solutions is called ‘RESU’....  It holds about 6.5 kWh of energy, just like the Tesla Powerwall, and while the price to the end customer varies based on location and distributors, it has been reported to be similar to Tesla’s Powerwall – about $3,500-$4,000 wholesale.
https://electrek.co/2016/10/26/lg-is-bringing-its-home-battery-pack-to-the-us-as-tesla-is-about-to-unveil-powerwall-2-0/
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #297 on: October 29, 2016, 05:38:15 PM »
Tesla's powerwall 2 and solar roof announcement:



and so it goes

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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #298 on: October 29, 2016, 08:06:15 PM »
Specs on the new $5,500 Powerwall 2.0 (integrated inverter included):

Mounting: Wall or Floor Mounted, Indoor/Outdoor
Inverter: Fully integrated Tesla inverter
Energy: 14 kWh
Power: 5 kW continuous, 7 kW peak
Round Trip Efficiency: 89% for AC Powerwall, 91.8% for DC Powerwall
Operating Temperature Range: –20°C to 50°C (–4°F to 122°F)
Warranty: Unlimited cycles for up to 10 years
Dimensions: 1150 mm x 755 mm x 155 mm (45.3 in x 29.7 in x 6.1 in)
Weight: 122 kg (269 lbs)

https://electrek.co/2016/10/28/tesla-powerwall-2-game-changer-in-home-energy-storage-14-kwh-inverter-5500/

https://www.tesla.com/energy
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Re: Batteries: Today's Energy Solution
« Reply #299 on: October 31, 2016, 01:24:32 PM »
Comparing Tesla Powerwall 2 with LG Resu and SonnenBatterie
https://electrek.co/2016/10/31/tesla-powerwall-2-comparison-lg-resu-sonnenbatterie/
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