Energy storage news: 16.07.14

A selection of energy storage news from our Twitter feed over the last week.

• LG is building a factory to manufacture electric vehicle batteries in China, with the intention of serving 100,000 cars per year.

• Pumped hydro energy storage in Norway could supply Germany and other parts of Europe.

• Hydrostor is opening the world’s first commercial underwater compressed air energy storage facility in Lake Ontario, Canada.

• Fuel cell energy storage is the answer for US cities’ energy problems, according to Slate.

• The UK’s largest grid-connected energy storage battery is being built by the University of Sheffield, using Toshiba lithium-titanate batteries.

• China has stated that 30% of all new government vehicles must be ‘new energy’ (electric, hybrid or fuel cell) by 2016. In addition, electric vehicles in China will have a 10% sales tax exemption.

• JuiceBox Energy has launched a plug-and-play lithium-ion battery system for solar energy storage.

• SolarCity is concerned that the same politics that slowed the introduction of solar energy storage in California will affect the uptake of the technology in international markets.

• BMW is developing a wireless inductive charging system for electric vehicles.

• RevoluSun, of Hawaii, is in discussions with battery storage companies about introducing solar energy storage systems to its customers.

• The Australian Renewable Energy Agency is investing AUD$18.5m into a wind, solar and energy storage project in the remote community of Coober Pedy in South Australia.

• Beaudry Kock, of PlugShare, believes that utilities need to open up their grid data in order for a vehicle-to-grid revolution to happen.

• Avista will use a USD$3.2m Washington State grant to test flow battery storage with renewable energy. The state is also giving $3.8m to Puget Sound Energy and $7.3m to Snohomish County for lithium-ion and vanadium redox flow battery projects.

• The electric vehicle lithium-ion battery market will grow from USD$382m in 2014 to $7.6bn in 2020, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan.

• ViZn Energy Systems is looking for an investment of USD$25m in order to increase production of its zinc-iron redox flow battery storage systems.

• Greentech Media summarises the discussions about the future of energy storage that took place at the Intersolar North America conference. Meanwhile, Gigaom looks at the new battery products that were exhibited.

• US Nissan Leaf owners will get two years’ free charging as the company expands its ‘No Charge to Charge’ programme.

• Carice, the Dutch car manufacturer, has launched the MK1, an electric sports car based on the classic Porsche 356 Speedster.

• Allowing utilities to ‘own’ the inverters could increase their support for residential solar energy storage.

• There are more Chargepoint electric vehicle charging stations in the US than there are McDonalds restaurants.

• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory has created a stable silicon sponge to replace the graphite in lithium-ion batteries.

• AGRION, Con Edison and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority have launched a website to advance energy storage in buildings. It includes technologies, incentives, regulations, case studies, developers and a business case tool.

• Energy storage scientists looking to exhibit their research talents are being invited to post information for free on the Linknovate platform.