BEST

A123 Energy Solutions has commissioned a 500kW 125kWh grid-connected energy storage system for Dongfang Electric Machinery in Hangzhou, China.

The lithium iron-phosphate system is housed in an existing on-site building rather than being in a stand-alone container. The system is co-located with PV and wind generation sources to integrate renewable energy resources for the machinery company.

Italian battery manufacturing machinery firm Sovema is to launch an updated enveloper machine for enveloping lead-acid battery plates in mid-2014.

After two to three years of testing and trials in various locations around the world, in the next quarter Sovema will launch an improved version of its enveloping machine, General Manager Massimiliano Ianniello told BEST. 

Germany has pledged to make itself a hub of excellence for battery production and is hosting the biggest yet Battery Day in Münster to showcase the progress being made.

Digatron Power Electronics, the test and formation equipment manufacturer headquartered in Aachen, has been instrumental in co-organising the event. The company will be showcasing a host of new equipment including a 1024 channel bi-directional cell formation system, new Regenerative Series (RE Series) Multiple Cell Tester, a 48V battery module (courtesy of ads-tec), and the 48V vehicle boardnet tester.

Battery Day 2014 and Battery Power take place on the 24th - 26th March in Münster, Germany.

Solvay Specialty Polymers, a global producer of plastics, has launched a sustainability programme called LIFE+ GLEE to limit the use of harmful solvents in lithium-ion battery manufacturing processes.

The substance Solvay is targeting for elimination is N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) which has been classified as a substance of very high concern under the European Chemicals Agency REACH classification. This means it has carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic effects for reproduction properties. Current manufacturing processes use the organic solvent because cathode materials are sensitive to water.

The Paper Battery Company from New York has begun a partnership with TWS Industrial, a manufacturer of lithium-based battery products, to incorporate an ultracapacitor into lithium-ion batteries to boost performance.

Called the PowerPatch, the ultracapacitor is wrapped around the lithium-ion battery to make hybrid storage devices ranging from 2V to 7.8V that the company claim can offer better peak power performance, longer run time and cycle life.