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Redflow’s Advanced Battery Technology Takes Center Stage in Pioneering US Project

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Redflow Limited (ASX: RFX), a global leader in clean energy storage, is making waves in the renewable energy sector as its zinc-bromine battery technology has been identified as the preferred choice for a cutting-edge project recommended for grant funding by the California Energy Commission (CEC).

“The Barona Community LDES Project signifies a significant leap forward in our journey towards greater energy resiliency and sustainability,” says Raymond Welch, Barona Tribal Council Chairman. “This initiative will help the Band achieve greater energy sovereignty through control over our own energy resources.”

The Barona Band of Mission Indians’ innovative project, named the Barona Community LDES Project, has received a nod from the CEC for its focus on energy storage for resilience. The project, aimed at delivering improved resiliency and sustainability, features a 6.6 MWh flow battery system powered by Redflow’s advanced zinc-bromine battery technology.

Working in collaboration with Prosper Sustainably and Microgrid Initiatives, the Barona Band, along with Redflow Limited and Ameresco, has successfully prepared the proposal that stood out as the first-ranked submission from a pool of twelve projects in a competitive solicitation process. The AUD $20.1 million Barona project has been recommended for a substantial grant of AUD $13.8 million by the CEC.

“The recognition from the California Energy Commission reaffirms the technological prowess of Redflow in the clean energy storage sector,” notes Tim Harris, Redflow CEO and Managing Director. “This project showcases Redflow’s technology capabilities on a commercial multi-megawatt hour scale, delivering greater resiliency and grid-infrastructure benefits.”

The grant terms are currently in negotiation, with the goal of commencing development activities for the energy project in the second half of this year and an anticipated deployment timeframe in 2025. Funded by the CEC’s Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) program, this initiative is designed to support the Barona Band of Mission Indians in delivering reliable, resilient, and sustainable clean energy to their community while also opening up economic development opportunities for the Tribe.

Redflow CEO and Managing Director, Tim Harris, expressed enthusiasm about the project, emphasizing that the project will deliver greater resiliency and grid-infrastructure benefits for the Barona Band of Mission Indians while providing a lifetime of energy cost savings unmatched by competing battery energy storage system (BESS) technologies.

“Subject to completion of the grant award process, this would be Redflow’s fourth multi-megawatt hour project in California involving the CEC as a funding partner,” Harris added. “Redflow’s LDES technology is flexible, allowing for a 100% depth of discharge without impairing BESS capacity or lifespan, aligning seamlessly with California’s decarbonization goals.”

For more information about the project and the conditions under which the funding is awarded, you can visit the CEC’s website. Redflow’s innovative contributions to this project underscore its commitment to advancing clean energy solutions and driving the transition towards a more sustainable future.

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The Battery Energy Storage boom.

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In recent years, there have been significant advancements in battery energy storage technology. These advancements have the potential to revolutionize the way we use and store energy, making it more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. In this article, we will discuss some of the latest developments in battery energy storage and their potential impact.

One of the most promising advancements in battery energy storage is the development of solid-state batteries. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries, which use a liquid electrolyte, solid-state batteries use a solid electrolyte. This makes them safer, more durable, and more energy-dense than traditional batteries. According to Dr. Venkat Viswanathan, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, “Solid-state batteries can offer up to 2-3 times the energy density of traditional lithium-ion batteries, which means they can store more energy in the same amount of space.” This makes them ideal for use in electric vehicles, where space is limited and energy density is crucial.

Another promising development in battery energy storage is the use of flow batteries. Flow batteries use two electrolyte solutions, which are stored in separate tanks and pumped through a cell stack to produce electricity. According to Dr. Jay Whitacre, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and founder of Aquion Energy, “Flow batteries are ideal for long-duration energy storage applications, such as renewable energy integration, because they can be charged and discharged for hours or even days without degradation.” This makes them ideal for use in grid-scale energy storage systems, where energy is needed on demand and for extended periods.

Advancements in battery energy storage technology are also leading to improvements in battery recycling. According to a report by the International Energy Agency, “Recycling of lithium-ion batteries is expected to become increasingly important as the electrification of transport and other sectors accelerates.” One of the most significant advancements in battery recycling is the use of hydrometallurgical processes, which use chemicals to dissolve the metals in batteries and recover them for reuse. According to Dr. Linda Gaines, a researcher at Argonne National Laboratory, “Hydrometallurgical processes can recover up to 99% of the metals in lithium-ion batteries, making them an efficient and sustainable solution for battery recycling.”

Overall, advancements in battery energy storage technology have the potential to transform the way we use and store energy. Solid-state batteries, flow batteries, and battery recycling are just a few of the latest developments in this field, and there are sure to be more to come in the years ahead. As Dr. Viswanathan notes, “Battery technology is evolving at a rapid pace, and we are just scratching the surface of what is possible.” With continued research and innovation, we may one day see a world powered entirely by renewable energy stored in advanced battery systems.

References:

  1. Viswanathan, V. “What’s Driving the Development of Solid-State Batteries?” Energy Institute Blog, Carnegie Mellon University, 20 Apr. 2021.
  2. Whitacre, J. “How Flow Batteries Can Enable Long-Duration Energy Storage.” Energy Institute Blog, Carnegie Mellon University, 20 Apr. 2021.
  3. “The Future of Batteries: Reuse and Recycling.” International Energy Agency, Nov. 2019.
  4. Gaines, L. “Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries: The Quest for Sustainable Production.” Argonne National Laboratory, 14 Dec. 2020.

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PowerBank trial for WA Homes | Tesla PowerPack

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An official announcement by the Government of Western Australia on Wednesday notes that they will partner with Western Power and Synergy to offer a Tesla PowerBank trial via a 105kW (420kWh) Tesla PowerBank battery.

PowerBank trial for WA Homes.

 

PowerBank trial for WA Homes.
Tesla PowerPack Commercial Battery – PowerBank trial for WA Homes (source: Tesla)

The 24 month trial period means that customers participating will be able to ‘virtually’ store excess power they generate during the day (it’ll be fed into the utility-scale 105kW Tesla PowerPack Battery). They can then use 8kWhs of the PowerBank’s battery storage without needing to install their own power bank. According to the press release (and it’s true!), “8kWhs is enough to power the average suburban home for over one hour during peak time.”

Energy Minister Ben Wyatt discussed the Tesla PowerBank trial in a series of interesting quotes which explain how helpful this trial could be to Mandurah residents:

“PowerBank is an ‘in front of the meter’ storage trial which allows invited local customers to store excess electricity from already installed solar PV systems to then use it during peak times.

“This is another Australian milestone for the application of utility-scale batteries for the benefit for customers, drawing on the groundbreaking work by Synergy in its Alkimos Beach energy storage trial.

“For the first time in Australia, a utility-scale battery will be integrated into an established suburb’s network, like Meadow Springs, that has a high level of existing solar PV uptake.

“At the cost of one dollar a day, customers will have access to 8kWh of battery storage to use any time after 3pm each day.

“This trial shows that the WA Government is serious about working with renewables, delivering for taxpayers and planning for our energy future.”

Click here to view the media statement from the WA state government.

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Solar Battery Rebates in Victoria | Solar Homes Program

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Solar battery rebates in Victoria will be rolled out as part of the Andrews’ government’s $1.34b Solar Homes program. The program also includes half price solar panels for 650,000 households and a $1,000 discount on solar hot water installation for 60,000 households. 

Solar Battery Rebates in Victoria – Solar Homes Program

Solar Battery Rebates in Victoria
Solar Battery Rebates in Victoria (source: solar.vic.gov.au)

Victorian home owners who fit the criteria (it’s means tested) will get a 50% rebate to install battery storage. The rebate will be capped at $4838 in the first year and will slowly decrease to $3714 by 2026, factoring in the inevitability that prices will decrease and energy storage technology will improve. The Age are reporting that this policy will cost an estimated $40m, with around 10,000 Victorian households expected to take advantage of the fantastic subsidy offer. 

According to the SBS, it’s part of Labor’s wider plan to increase renewable energy use and decrease the cost of living – with the plan being to work with energy distributors and invest $10m to help ‘renewable-proof’ the state grid over the next ten years. 

“This is a game changer for Victorian families fed up with big corporations that have been price gouging and ripping consumers off,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

“Only Labor will put solar panels, solar hot water or solar batteries on 720,000 homes – saving Victorians thousands of dollars on their electricity bills with renewable energy.”

Solar Homes Victoria Subsidy Breakdown

We’ve previously written about Labor’s half price solar for Victorians scheme- looks like there are some great plans coming to fruition for the state. 

Solar Panels – $1.2b for 50% of solar system installation costs for 650,000 homes.

Solar Hot Water – $60m for $1000 subsiddies to install solar hot water.

Solar Batteries – $40m for 50% of solar battery installation costs for ~10,000 homes.

It’ll be very interesting to see how these solar battery rebates work in Victoria and if the other states (especially the ones with a high solar panel update) follow suit. Watch this space – we’ll keep you updated! 

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Tesla in Australia 2018/2019 – Facts & Figures

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Tesla have announced their Q2 earnings which notes that they have a ‘crazy’ growth outlook despite cell shortage and a slow deployment of their solar roof. Tesla in Australia is still very far behind the USA, but what can we expect the future to bring?

Tesla in Australia – 2018/19

What can Australians expect from Tesla over the next financial year? We’ve had an agonisingly slow rollout down under and there are many people waiting to see how long it takes for the solar roof to make its way out here.

With the cell shortage that has crippled availability of the Tesla Powerwall 2 in Australia, is it worth waiting for the Powerwall 3 instead? There hasn’t been any announcement yet so it really depends on your personal situation. 

The Tesla Gigafactory in Buffalo, New York is in working on speeding up production of the Solar Roof. They hope to produce 1 GW of solar products at the site annually beginning in 2019, and Tesla has said that it could even reach 2 GW/year down the track. The Gigafactory produces standard solar panels, along with the Solar Roof.

So if you have a bit of patience and are happy to wait until 2019, it’s fine to wait. Solar batteries still have a bit of a ways to go before they are a no-brainer for people to install, let alone the solar roof. But in the meantime, there are certainly solar roof alternatives like the Tractile solar roof tile or the Sonnen/Bristile partnership which they’ve called ‘Solartile‘. Have you got any questions or any experience with any of these solar shingles? Please let us know in the comments. 

Where is the Tesla Solar Roof?

Tesla in Australia - Solar Roof via @Toblerhaus on Twitter
Tesla in Australia – Tesla Solar Roof 2018 Installation (California) (source: @Toblerhaus on Twitter)

We’ve written about the Tesla Solar Roof before – and we’ve also written about its place in the Australian ecosystem, given that they’re rare as hen’s teeth in America, let alone over here. According to PV Magazine USA, it’s probable that the Tesla Solar Roof will not help their bottom line (Energy Generation and Division Revenues) until halfway through 2019 at the earliest. The reasons for this are for safety and the time lag it’s taking to get all their ducks in a row.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk clarified:

“It takes a while to confirm that the Solar Roof is going to last for 30 years and all the details work out, and we’re working with first responders to make sure it’s safe in the event of a fire and that kind of thing. So it’s quite a long validation program for a roof which has got to last for 30, 40, 50 years, but we also expect to ramp that up next year at our Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo. That’s going to be super exciting.”

According to Musk ‘several hundred’ Solar Roofs have been deployed, are being installed or scheduled for install, and international expansion (i.e. Australia!) is slowly rolling out.

PV Magazine have also written about some of the first solar roof installations in the USA – please click here to read some more about them.

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