New undersea energy storage system harnesses the power of buoyancy

The Sun doesn’t always shine exactly when you want to boil a kettle; the more we rely on renewable energy, the more energy storage we’ll need. You can store your excess electricity by using it to pump water up a hill. You can use it to compress air, or… Continue reading New undersea energy storage system harnesses the power of buoyancy

World’s largest compressed air grid “batteries” will store up to 10GWh

California is set to be home to two new compressed-air energy storage facilities – each claiming the crown for the world’s largest non-hydro energy storage system. Developed by Hydrostor, the facilities will have an output of 500 MW and be capable of s… Continue reading World’s largest compressed air grid “batteries” will store up to 10GWh

Australia plans world’s biggest battery (again), at 1.2 gigawatts

A crude mockup of the 1.4-gigawatt power grid battery planned for Australia's Hunter Valley

Australia has clearly been motivated by the huge success of the giant 150-megawatt Tesla battery built in South Australia in 2017. In November, neighboring state Victoria announced a 300-megawatt plant to go live at the end of this year, and now, a new project in New South Wales will dwarf both these projects combined.

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Continue reading Australia plans world’s biggest battery (again), at 1.2 gigawatts

Battery anode allows for faster charging via free-flowing nanochannels

By focusing on the way lithium moves between the two electrodes, scientists in the Netherlands have come up with a new battery design that promises much faster charging rates. The architecture incorporates specialized channel structures that enable a g… Continue reading Battery anode allows for faster charging via free-flowing nanochannels

“Melting choc chip” blocks could stack up as grid-scale energy storage

Engineers from the University of Newcastle have come up with a surprisingly simple new energy storage system, built around blocks that store thermal energy like melted chocolate chips in a muffin. The team says they’re efficient, scalable, safe, inexpe… Continue reading “Melting choc chip” blocks could stack up as grid-scale energy storage

Prototype gravity-based energy storage system begins construction

As renewable energy generation grows, so does the need for new storage methods that can be used at times when the Sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. A Scottish company called Gravitricity has now broken ground on a demonstrator facility for a… Continue reading Prototype gravity-based energy storage system begins construction