PV cost has plummeted within the past 10 years due to an increase in equipment installation and improvement in PV technology. Since 2010, PV cost has dropped by 82%. Although this spells good news for consumers and developers alike, the price drop also means the earlier fixed electricity rate (FIT, or feed-in-tariff) has become much more expensive than the rates offered by newly built PV power stations. In light of this discrepancy, the French government has now deemed it appropriate to adjust the earlier fixed rates. Should the proposal pass into law, this will likely have dire ramifications for PV power plants with capacities exceeding 250KW built between 2006 and 2010. ...  more

The future of coal-fired power is looking bleaker than ever in the face of the current trend of reduced carbon emissions. Case in point, Japan-based industrial equipment manufacturer Toshiba has announced that it will stop all its future constructions of coal-fired power plants and refuse all client orders for said plants while stepping up its renewable energy strategy. ...  more

Lithium-ion battery is practically ubiquitous as it can be found from smartphones and notebooks to electric vehicles and battery energy storage system. Will an excess demand in raw materials occur as the usage of the particular product increases? ...  more

On November 12, Ford officially unveiled its second mass-produced EV, hot on the heels of the electric Mustang Mach-E. Capable of carrying a max load of 2,000 kg, the newly released E-Transit represents a new effort by Ford to dominate the commercial market. The EV has a 200 km mileage on a single charge, with a price tag of US$45,000 and an expected delivery date at the end of 2021. ...  more

Although Tesla is the undisputed king in the global EV market, the automaker has encountered much resistance in Europe this year. As of 3Q20, Tesla’s share in the all-EV market in Europe fell by 20% YoY, its throne usurped by Volkswagen and Renault. ...  more

Highview Power, a pioneer in cryogenic energy storage, announced on November 6 that it has commenced the construction of a commercial energy storage plant in Greater Manchester, UK. Provisionally named CRYOBattery, the project is scheduled for completion by 2023 and designed to have a storage capacity of 50MW (250MWh). It is expected to be among the largest energy storage projects in Europe. Highview was established in 2005 and has headquarters in the UK and the US. ...  more

The market growth of electric vehicles and the widening adoption of energy storage systems in the utility sector have led to booming demand for lithium batteries worldwide. However, the surge in the use of lithium batteries has also raised concerns about the disposal and recycling of these devices at the end of their lifecycle. Recently, GlidePath Power Solutions and Renewance have entered into an alliance to build a supply chain for recycling lithium batteries in the US. GlidePath is an independent developer of renewable energy projects, while Renewance specializes in software solutions and management services for industrial batteries. Both companies are based in the state of Illinois. ...  more

Articles pertaining to high energy consumption users in the Renewable Energy Development Act will be ratified next year. In essence, the articles state that when the chartered capacity on electricity consumption agreements signed by the user of electricity exceeds 5MW, the user shall install on their own or provide space to install renewable energy power generation and storage facilities with 10% of total electricity consumption. With regards to technical and application-related challenges in energy storage, Delta Electronics hosted a forum on the competitiveness of smart energy on October 15 at Energy Taiwan, during which the company shared its own expertise and experiences. ...  more