Energy Storage

ITM Power has signed a strategic siting partnership with Shell for the delivery of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations on three Shell retail forecourts in the UK.

Being the automotive sector a trillion dollar market and given the existence of multiple low carbon powertrain technologies and sunk investments in specific powertrains technologies, the possibility of "betting on the wrong horse" makes the transition to low carbon vehicles a very risky process for incumbent automotive companies (global automotive manufacturers and their tier one suppliers). Through these technology developments these incumbent companies are primarily trying to maintain or increase their captured added value of the automotive value chain and their global sales market share. For new entrants with no existing interests, the risks are lower given they are not compelled to capture most of the value of the powertrain technology, giving them the possibility of sharing it with other parts of the value chain (suppliers, technology developers etc.)

Video interview with Sonnenrepublik at Energy Harvesting & Storage Europe.

Another major focus was 48V systems some in EVs but mainly for microhybrid (stop-start) and mild hybrid (torque assist) for managing the now huge amounts of energy in and out with new forms of harvesting and tougher duty cycles and also more power-hungry accessories. That has resulted in a large number of redesigned and new accessories in anticipation of new standards.

The Riversimple two seat fuel cell hybrid car was on show in powertrain form at CENEX recently and in addition to the Hydrogenics fuel cell as fuel tank and the lithium-ion capacitor as engine it had four in-wheel motors.

Canadian company Electrovaya, with the help of investment promotion agency Germany Trade & invest (GTAI), acquired Germany's Litarion in Kamenz, Saxony.

Two guest speakers from Japan will present at the IDTechEx insight forums in Tokyo on 28 September, providing in-depth analysis into printed electronics. www.IDTechEx.com/PEAsia

A new material comprising interspersed layers of graphene and phosphorene has been shown by US researchers to be a more stable, more conductive and higher capacity anode for sodium ion batteries than previous materials.

Scientists have developed a new fuel cell catalyst using earthly abundant materials with performance that is comparable to platinum in laboratory tests.

Off-grid electricity production on land has lessons for energy independent electric vehicles (EIVs) that come later. These generate all their own electricity from wind, waves, sun and other forms of ambient energy - free and clean.

The scientists' goal is to produce new materials for a host of uses, ranging from high-efficiency batteries, ultracapacitors, fuel cells and hydrogen storage devices to lightweight thermal coatings for hypersonic jets, multifunctional materials for aerospace, and more.

Sakti3 is a company developing solid-state batteries. They were founded in 2007 by current CEO Dr. Ann Marie Sastry, who was then a professor at the University of Michigan. Sakti3 was recently acquired by Dyson for $90m.

Amprius is a spinout of Stanford University working on silicon nanowire anodes for Li-ion batteries. Their target market is that of high altitude pseudo-satellites (HAPS), thanks to a specific energy of 400 Wh/kg.

Chemists who developed a unique form of graphene have found a way to embed metallic nanoparticles that turn the material into a useful catalyst for fuel cells and other applications.

PowerStrap utilises a rugged thermoelectric generator (TEG) coupled with our robust electronics technology to harvest heat/ thermal energy from fluid filled pipes or exhaust stacks to provide a viable, economical, and perpetual power source for Industrial and Oil/Gas applications.

MTU Friedrichshafen GmbH has formed a close development partnership with Darmstadt-based AKASOL GmbH.

NOHMs is a start up that develops lithium sulphur battery technology. Their technology was originated in Cornell University. The company's CEO and lead researchers are all Cornell alumni. Whilst the company is known for their Li sulphur battery technology, which promises double the energy density of Li ion batteries, they are also commercializing an ionic liquid electrolyte technology which they claim can increase by 20-30% of Li ion battery technnologies.

Researchers have developed a new approach to one of the three basic components of batteries, the electrolyte.

A research team has been awarded $1 million in NASA funding for its all solid-state battery, a game-changing technology that could potentially power future space missions.

A trillion dollar opportunity to 2035, electric buses are being completely reinvented because they are the electric vehicle sector already attracting billion dollar orders and they can prevent millions of deaths and injuries from air pollution.