Energy Storage

Ever since the economic crisis, the motorcycle market in the U.S. has stagnated as the industry has struggled to attract younger, more safety-conscious riders. Electrification is the jump-start needed, and is why the likes of Harley Davidson, U.S. motorcycling icon and survivor of the great depression, is looking to re-invent itself by going electric.

IDTechEx attended Imperial College's Composites Centre showcase event on 24th September 2018, which saw the centre open it's doors to a range of commercial, research and government organisations.

IDTechEx attended and presented at the International Aerogel Seminar held in Hamburg, Germany, between the 24th and 26th of September.

IDTechEx attended the Global Power and Energy Exhibition in Barcelona from 17 - 20th September 2018

The global electric vehicle population reached 3 million units at the end of 2017, which represents approximately 0.23% of the global vehicle population. Electric vehicle producers have responded to consumer's range anxiety by increasing the available range per charge in their vehicles to more than 200 miles. However ultimately the deployment of electric vehicles will depend on the deployment of ubiquitous chargers.

2018 is regarded as the beginning year for battery recycling as the first batch of batteries are gradually coming out of electric vehicles. Umicore has recently announced their investment plan in ramping up battery recycling capacity in preparation for the boom of spent EV batteries. By 2018, we will already have around 33,000 retired electric vehicle battery packs (including electric passenger cars and buses) which amounts to around 1GWh storage capacity.

Lionrock Batteries Ltd. is developing and manufacturing flexible rechargeable battery technologies to address the rapidly growing and evolving needs for energy storage in new wearables, medical devices and other consumer IoT devices.

The new IDTechEx report, "Airborne Wind Energy 2019-2039" comes just as new generation, zero emission electricity production approaches a tipping point. The new generation addresses the new world of distributed power for minigrids and microgrids and replacement of diesel gensets, so it is mobile with no infrastructure. Installation in one hundredth of the time and making electricity where it is needed without power lines across the horizon: what is there not to like?

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China has recently announced the pilot program of recycling and second use of retired electric vehicle batteries in 17 major regions and cities. China Tower, the world's biggest operator of telecommunication towers, is included as the only company in the pilot program to develop key technologies, explore business models and help establish standards related to second-life batteries.

Hyundai Motor Group has recently announced a commercial partnership with energy company Wärtsilä to utilize second-life electric vehicle batteries for stationary energy storage at both commercial and utility scales. This is not the first piece of news that automotive companies are trying to give a second life to their retired EV batteries as major EV manufactures including Nissan, Renault, BMW, Daimler, BYD etc. have announced various battery second use projects around the world.