Technology

The US Department of Energy is funding a pilot project to demonstrate the commercial viability of storing energy in heated sand, which is capable of producing 135 MW of power for five days.

The new product combines the NEO 800TL-X Microinverter and the NOAH 2000 Battery. Up to four batteries can be stacked, for up to 8,192 Wh of storage capacity.

H2 Mobility’s live map has reported the planned closure of at least three hydrogen filling stations throughout Germany in the coming months, while the Japanese government has revealed plans to support the development of low-carbon aviation solutions, including hydrogen-combustion engines.

Polish grid operator Polskie Sieci Elektroenergetyczne (PSE) has announced its third disconnection of renewable energy capacity this year. This time it has initiated the reduction of 1,201 MW to 1,877 MW of PV in response to oversupply.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) tops in green hydrogen competitiveness with the world’s lowest levelized cost of hydrogen (LCoH) of $2.7/kg in 2023 and a projected $1.7/kg in 2030. It is followed by Saudi Arabia and India, which could produce green hydrogen at $2.9-$3.2/kg in 2023 and $1.8/kg in 2030.

While lithium ion battery prices are falling again, interest in sodium ion (Na-ion) energy storage has not waned. With a global ramp-up of cell manufacturing capacity under way, it remains unclear whether this promising technology can tip the scales on supply and demand. Marija Maisch reports.

Researchers in Italy have estimated the profitability of future vanadium redox flow batteries based on real device and market parameters and found that market evolutions are heading to much more competitive systems, with capital costs down to €260/kWh at a storage duration of 10 hours.

A Spanish group of researchers has investigated how much agricultural production may be hosted by existing ground-mounted PV plants using dual-axis trackers. They outlined a new methodology that reportedly enables to quantify how much space around and beneath the panels can be uses for agricultural purposes.

Under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, at least two green hydrogen hubs will be set up by FY 2025-26 with central financial assistance of INR 200 crore for creating the core infrastructure. Each of the hubs will have a production capacity of at least 100,000 mtpa.

IIT Kanpur’s annual event Abhivyakti’24, scheduled for March 15 and 16, 2024, provides a platform for the startup ecosystem to collaborate and develop sustainable solutions for a better future.