lithium battery

Battery manufacturer Oxis Energy has developed a lightweight lithium sulphur prototype cell for power management company Lincad and the UK Ministry of Defence.

The prototype cell is the result of the third programme phase of the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory research programme.  The cell provides a 60% increase over the capacity achievement in phase 2 in 2013 and increases the specific energy of a cell to just under 300Wh/kg, according to Oxis Energy.

Patent family applications for batteries suitable for stationary energy storage have doubled. From 2006 to 2011, the number of patents increased from 2,800 to 5,900, according to a study by Technical University Munich.

The lithium segment is most dynamic with a steep upward trend since 2008 and 4,900 patent family applications in 2011. Simon Müller, physicist and economist at TUM told BEST: “A lot of companies have high market expectations for lithium batteries that result in extensive research development.

Renewable Energy Systems (RES) Canada has received a final certification for starting operation of its 8MW energy storage system (ESS) in Ontario, Canada.

The ESS, named Amphora, consists of two containers with lithium iron phosphate batteries and a container of inverters that converts the DC output to AC for the grid. The batteries have a total range of 8MW and a capacity of 2.6MWh. BYD America supplied the equipment.

Network operator TransGrid has deployed a 100kVA energy storage system (ESS) in Western Sydney, Australia.

The battery ESS, build by Australian Magellan Power, utilises 400kWh lithium polymer batteries and an advance three-phase bi-directional inverter. It is designed to support the connected grid by providing peak demand and power quality service such as reactive power compensation.

Hong Kong-based metals and minerals investment firm Honbridge has acquired Shandong New Energy, a Chinese lithium battery manufacturer.

The acquistion was enacted via the purchase of 90.68% equity interest in Shandong New Energy's holding company Triumphant Glory Investment. The consideration was HK$634.76m ($81.8m).