Technology and R&D

Bhago Mobility Solutions, the green energy vertical of automotive parts manufacturer Modern Automotive, will invest $16 million in a partnership with Pastiche. They plan to jointly develop solid-state and lithium-ion batteries for electric mobility and energy storage.

Mumbai-based Cleo Tech has developed a battery-powered, handheld tool for scratch-free, dry cleaning of solar panels. The tool’s cleaning brush clings end-to-end on the aluminum frames of the panels, avoiding direct contact of the moving parts with the cells, other than the soft nylon bristles.

Uttar Pradesh-based Inficold has developed a multi-chamber, solar-powered cold storage solution that facilitates the storage of multiple perishable commodities in different temperature-controlled chambers, all under their respective ideal storage conditions.

Portuguese startup Solarud has developed a way to eliminate soiling around the frames of PV panels with low inclination slopes. The device drains water that would otherwise stay stagnant on the surface of modules.

As people have gradually migrated to the world’s cities, urban areas have migrated upward to scrape the sky. And yet, while one of the first principles of power generation is to generate as close as possible to the point of consumption, energy systems have long been designed to deliver electricity to major cities from distant hubs. But now, thanks to recent advances in solar panel energy density and building-integrated PV, vertical cities could soon be standing tall under their own power.

Renac Power’s new plug-and-play battery has a storage capacity of 3.74 kWh, but it can be enhanced in series with up to five batteries to 18.7 kWh. It has a nominal voltage of 96 V and a voltage range of 81 V to 108 V.

FlexSolar has developed a foldable, portable PV briefcase kit with a charge controller and connection cables.

Advanced Ionics has developed an electrolyzer that runs at temperatures below 650 C. It is reportedly able to produce hydrogen for $0.85/kg or less. CEO Chad Mason recently spoke with pv magazine to provide a closer look at the water vapor electrolysis tech.

India should focus on developing and manufacturing battery storage chemistries that are locally suitable in terms of economic, environmental and social considerations, Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari said at India Energy Storage Week 2022 in New Delhi.

A UK consortium has developed the Prisma system, which stores thermal energy in liquid air form to provide onsite compressed air, via a latent energy cold storage tank filled with a phase-change material. It is expected to have a levelized cost of storage of GBP 114 ($143.10)/MWh.