Energy storage news: 17.09.14

The energy storage news headlines from our Twitter feed this week.

• BioSolar is developing the BioSuperCap, a cheap polymer-based supercapacitor that could lower the cost of solar energy storage.

• The Strati, the first 3D-printed electric car, was printed in 44 hours at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago on 13 September.

• The NY-BEST conference and exhibition for the New York energy storage industry has been reviewed by Democrat & Chronicle.

• ABB is integrating its PowerStore flywheel energy storage technology with a wind energy battery storage system on Kodiak Island in Alaska. The company has also announced that it is focusing on battery energy storage, micro and nano grids.

• The draft roadmap for energy storage in California will be published on October 2. Meanwhile The Planning Report has interviewed California Public Utilities Commission’s Carla Peterman on electric vehicles, regulation, Tesla and energy storage.

• Dr David Mitlin of the University of Alberta, Canada has shown that hemp fibres are as good as graphene nanosheets for energy storage in supercapacitors.

• A new study from Stanford University suggests that fast charging of lithium-ion batteries may not be worse for electrodes and battery life than slow charging.

• Sempra Energy is planning to install 5,000 electric vehicle charging stations in San Diego.

• Volkswagen believes that hydrogen fuel cell cars will have little success outside Japan, due to government incentives.

• Panasonic has released a video demonstrating its residential hydrogen fuel cell unit.

• Nissan is reported to be considering reducing electric vehicle battery production in the US and UK.

• The Hy-Cycle, Australia’s first hydrogen fuel cell bicycle, has been launched by the University of New South Wales.

• The Australian Energy Storage Council has been set up by the Australian Solar Council. The next Australian Energy Storage Conference and Exhibition will be held on June 3 and 4, 2015, in Melbourne.

• Stem is deploying a 1MW behind-the-meter energy storage demonstration project for the grid in Hawaii.

• Forbes takes a look at Intelligent Generation, the US solar energy storage software start-up company.

• The US launch price for Kia Soul electric car will be USD$33,700.

• Greentech Media reviews a panel on ‘Intelligent Analytics for Distributed PV and Storage’, which took place at its Soft Grid 2014 conference.

• The Tesla Supercharger network will cover Japan by 2015.

• Morgan Stanley has predicted US customer defection from the grid due to solar energy storage systems.

• The business case for utility energy storage systems is analysed in a new report from Reportlinker.

• The Concentrating Solar Power Alliance has published a report on the economic and reliability benefits of CSP with thermal energy storage.

• Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created a new form of strontium-chromium oxide to make more efficient solid oxide fuel cells for vehicles.

• Toyota has used its background in textile technology in the development of the fuel tanks in its new hydrogen fuel cell vehicle.

• Production of electric cars in China has risen dramatically in the first eight months of 2014.

• The chemical causes of electrode defects in graphene supercapacitors is being studied by a team at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

• Western Lithium has advanced its demonstration plant in Nevada, which it believes could become a major international hub for lithium production.

• Tesla and Toyota could sign a large battery deal in two to three years’ time, according to Elon Musk.

• CleanTechnica considers the global future for electric vehicles and why range anxiety may only be an issue in the USA.