When the firm raised €2.5 million back in November 2022, it presented itself as primarily repurposing used batteries from Tesla electric vehicles (EVs) into stationary BESS, otherwise known as second life energy storage. However, founder and CEO Oskari Jaakkola says that falls in the prices of new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries since then have changed this.

“Due to the significantly increased cost competitiveness of first life LFP cells, our production is currently about 80-90% first life and we expect the trend to continue,” Jaakkola said.

Elaborating on this, he said: “At this moment, first life LFP cells are very attractive due to their longevity and price. However, we are agnostic in terms of battery chemistry and should another attractive technology emerge, we will evaluate it.”

“Second life cells are fit for purpose when it comes to battery energy storage. However, when looking strictly at cost, first life LFP is currently more attractive. There are other aspects supporting second life cells, such as ESG views and that’s why we want to keep the second life product in our offering and allow the clients to make the choice.”

The high cost of new lithium-ion batteries was often cited as a driver of the second life energy storage market when Energy-Storage.news spoke to companies throughout 2022 (interviews which culminated in a special feature on second-life energy storage in an edition of our quarterly journal PV Tech Power).

Cactos Fleet is targeting €70 million in capital, half equity half debt, and was set up to separate the long-term leasing and operation of BESS assets with the technology business of Cactos, activities which have different typical investor profiles.

Explaining the company’s business model and how it ties in to the decision to currently focus on first life LFP cells, Jaakkola said:

“Our product is smart energy storage systems as a service – we provide our clients with an all-inclusive service and the client only pays a monthly bill. We develop the technologies (both hardware and software), we assemble the BESS’s, we install, commission, maintain, trade and finance the systems. We also typically earn a performance-based fee and hence have a vested interest with our clients in making our BESS’s the most reliable, profitable and cost-effective products in the market.”

The firm’s first life BESS product is the Cactos One Cardo while its product comprising second life Tesla batteries is the Cactos One Classic. Its deployed BESS units are aggregated into a virtual power plant (VPP) using its proprietary software Cactos Spine.

The company owns 50 Cactos One units (not specifying the split between Classic and Cardo) and with the latest financing said that can grow to over 1,000 in the coming years. The investment period is expected to be 2.5 years with an operational period for the units of 10 years.

Its largest owned system is a 2.5 MWh BESS installed at a logistics centre in Tuusula, Finland.

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will host the 9th annual Energy Storage Summit EU in London, 20-21 February 2024. This year it is moving to a larger venue, bringing together Europe’s leading investors, policymakers, developers, utilities, energy buyers and service providers all in one place. Visit the official site for more info.

Continue reading

The firm confirmed that the fall was a continuation of frequency response revenues falling since the launch of the enduring auction capability, a mechanism designed to help deliver co-optimised procurement for day-ahead frequency response and reserve products, in November.

Interestingly, Modo’s research indicates that assets over 1.5 hours in duration earned around £3.3k/MW on average, whereas assets under 1.5 hours saw revenues of around £2.1k/MW.

This caps off what could be seen as a stutter in UK BESS market, with average revenue levels for batteries having dropped by 67% year-on-year (YoY) to £51k/MW.

Energy-Storage.news explored the falling revenues and the implications of this for the UK BESS market in a Premium article in October 2023.

To see the full version of this article go to Current.

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will host the 9th annual Energy Storage Summit EU in London, 20-21 February 2024. This year it is moving to a larger venue, bringing together Europe’s leading investors, policymakers, developers, utilities, energy buyers and service providers all in one place. Visit the official site for more info.

Continue reading

Gravity energy storage systems have inherent advantages in that they typically have a long operating life with a minimal maintenance burden. They are also relatively simple and do not require hazardous or scarce materials. However, looking at the patent filing activity, it is clear that there are still technical problems to solve.

In a previous Guest Blog for Energy-Storage.news, we have considered who are the Leaders in patent activity for non-electrochemical energy storage technologies. It was seen that patent filings in gravity based energy storage systems has been, on average, increasing year-on-year. 2023 was also full of commercial developments and brought news that Gravitricity and Energy Vault are moving forward with commercialising gravity energy storage systems around the world; Gravitricity are partnering with ABB and Green Gravity are scouting mining sites to repurpose as large-scale gravity energy storage facilities.

The principle of gravity based energy storage is to use an electric motor to lift a mass and thereby store energy as potential energy. This energy is then released by lowering the mass and generating electricity.

Therefore, given the relatively simple principles, what are the companies operating in this area seeking to protect with their patent filings?

Range of gravity storage ideas and designs

Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Figure from Chinese Patent Application CN110905744A

The Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences has obtained a patent right in an “air-sand energy storage power station” in Chinese patent CN 110905744 B.

The patent describes an upper sand storage warehouse (labelled 35 in the image) and a lower sand storage warehouse (labelled 33 in the image) and a gas supply system (labelled 10).

It is explained that “The gravitational potential energy of the sand and a fluidisation effect applied to the sand by the gas are utilised, and therefore, the viscous resistance of the sand is reduced, and gas-sand flow can be formed”.

Further, when “residual electricity exists, sand is lifted, compressed air is stored … and cross-time and cross-season energy storage is achieved.”

China Tianying Inc

China Tianying Inc have received grant of their Chinese patent CN 115013266 B, which describes a “a matrix gravity energy storage system control method”. The patent describes a frame structure having a series of layers in which mass blocks are located.

The system can raise mass blocks from a layer in the lower side of the structure to a layer in an upper side to store energy by way of two lift vehicles. During the generation of electrical energy the mass blocks are lowered in an order such that the descent time of the lift vehicles is the same “so that uninterrupted power generation can be achieved”. Accordingly, the Chinese Patent Office has recognised inventiveness in the way the mass blocks are moved in the matrix frame structure.

Energy Vault Inc

Figure 6E of US Patent US 10,683,851 B2

Energy Vault Inc received a granted US patent US 10,683,851 B2 for their energy storage system that stores and releases energy via the stacking of blocks. In particular, the claims of the patent, which define the scope of the protection, are focussed on a grabber for use in lifting and lowering blocks.

The claims, amongst other features, define a cross member coupleable to a cable of a crane and a pair of arms, wherein the grabber includes a conical end attached to each of the pair of arms that allow self-centering of the arms relative to openings of the blocks.

A possible embodiment of the energy storage system is shown in Figure 6E of the patent reproduced (left).

Gravitricity’s first commercial-scale demonstrator project in Scotland (pictured) is above ground, but the company plans to site storage facilities in mine shafts. Image: Gravitricity.

Gravitricity

In Gravitricity Ltd’s UK patent GB 2 585 124 B the energy storage system is said to enable a “gravity-based energy storage to have a significantly larger capacity in a single shaft for given capital cost and thus an improved cost per unit energy for large scale energy.”

The claims of the patent relate to first and second transporters that include transporter linages which can be coupled and decoupled from weights. The claims define the areas swept by a first and a second transporter when coupled to a weight and the swept area of the second transporter linkage without the weight. The arrangement is said to allow for multiple transporters in a compact shaft while providing minimal interruption in energy storage.

Weighing up the opportunities

Thus, in summary, while the concept of gravity based storage is relatively simple, patent protection is available when problems encountered in the development of effective and efficient commercial implementations of the technology are solved in a non-obvious way.

The selection of different weights to raise or lower at a particular time based on operating conditions may be implemented in software and therefore there may be little physical difference to the apparatus, but patent protection is available.

Obtaining patent protection for a configuration of hoists such that the system can operate in the confines of a mineshaft in an efficient way may be how to secure your part of the retrofitting market.

Identifying a commercial opportunity, innovating to make the opportunity operationally viable and obtaining intellectual property looks to be a strategy on the up in the field of gravitational energy storage.

About the Author

Ben Lincoln is a partner and patent attorney at Potter Clarkson, a full-service intellectual property law firm based in Nottingham, UK. He has drafted hundreds of patent applications in a variety of sectors from telecommunications through to green technology, and has prosecuted patent applications relating to industrial networking, computer programs, medical equipment and control systems for manufacturing.

Continue reading

Credit: ESO

EDF Renewables North America and Enbridge have announced that Phase 1 of Fox Squirrel Solar in Ohio is operational and delivering electricity to the PJM grid. 

Fox Squirrel Solar, a ground-mounted solar facility with total capacity of 749 MW, is being constructed in three phases in Madison County, Ohio. The initial phase generates 150 MW, says the company.

Comprised of 1.4 million panels and 159 inverters in total, the project represents the largest onshore renewable energy project developed and built by EDF Renewables North America. 

During peak construction of the first phase, 650 workers were onsite installing 10,000 panels per day. 

Enbridge invested in the first phase and plans to reach final investment decision on the following phases through this year, assuming certain conditions are met. The project has secured 20-year PPAs with an investment-grade counterparty for the full generation capacity.

“We are pleased to bring into service the first phase of the Fox Squirrel solar project as part of our expanded strategic partnership with EDF Renewables,” says Enbridge’s Matthew Akman. “The development of this project will support local communities and deliver clean power for our customer. The project underscores our energy transition leadership and highlights our rigorous capital allocation process which targets projects that are immediately accretive to DCF per share and complementary to our growth outlook.”

Continue reading

Credit: Fernando Tomás

Sunlight Financial Holdings has partnered with Cross River Bank to sell a pool of approximately $300M in solar loan assets, acquired by an international investment entity.

“The quality and performance of Sunlight’s solar loan assets are a testament to the company’s diligence and innovative approach,” says Noah Cooper, Cross River CIO. “This transaction affirms investor trust and ongoing value in the residential solar sector.”

Coupled with the recent capital infusion, this move signals Sunlight’s intent to set the stage for renewed expansion. Looking ahead, the company says it is poised with a pipeline of financing solutions.

Continue reading

Credit: Christoffer Riemer

Arcadia has announced it has reached 2 GW of community solar management across the 15 states it serves.

As its solar farms generate power, Arcadia credits enrolled households with energy discounts. Approximately 22% of the company’s community solar subscribers qualify as low or moderate income households.

“Hitting two gigawatts is a testament to our unwavering commitment to providing accessible, affordable, clean energy to communities across the nation” says Kiran Bhatraju, Arcadia’s founder and CEO. “As community solar continues to grow in the U.S., this milestone reflects our goal to democratize renewable energy and contribute to a more sustainable world.”

Continue reading

Credit: Markus Braun

Apex Clean Energy has contracted its 125 MW Wheatsborough Solar project in Ohio under the Microsoft–Volt Energy Utility Environmental Justice Framework as a minority-owned solar energy development firm. 

Developed under the framework of leveraging corporate emissions goals to support environmental justice, community and diversity initiatives, the contracted PPA is meant to prioritize more equitable distribution of the benefits of the clean energy economy.

A percentage of the revenue produced by the PPA will be invested into the Sharing the Power Foundation, focused on environmental health and economic justice in historically underserved urban and rural communities. The project will also fund community and conservation grants and clean energy workforce development through the Apex Conservation Grant Program.

 “Developing renewable energy projects that are reliable and sustainable is imperative; prioritizing equitable deployment will further elevate our industry’s overall impact,” says Ken Young, CEO of Apex. “This agreement allows Wheatsborough Solar to move beyond the megawatt, creating a lasting impact in the local community and beyond.”

The project is expected to come online in the first half of next year.

Continue reading

The municipality of Windach in Landsberg, Bavaria, has installed a 6.6 MW DC-optimized ground mount solar plant which has generated 6.57 GWh in its first nine months of operation.

The 12,408 module solar array began operation last February and borders the A 96 highway between Munich and Memmingen. To ensure the project would receive widespread support, Gemeindewerke Windach canvassed the opinions of various interest groups in the region.  

“It was important to us to highlight the benefits of the plant,” says Florian Zarbo, CEO of Gemeindewerke Windach. “After all, beyond climate protection, there are many other reasons for generating electricity ourselves. For example, local, decentralized energy generation relieves the strain on the grid and creates greater scope for heat and electricity storage, which will become increasingly relevant in the future.”

The system uses SolarEdge technology and includes power optimizers which attach directly to modules enabling independent operation. The ground mount solution can also be placed at various pitches or orientations.

Continue reading

Naturgy has begun construction on the Grimes project, located in Texas, which has an expected 210 MW capacity. 

The facility will have 515,000 PV modules spread over an area of more than 1,600 acres and is expected to be operational by next year, says the group.

Grimes joins 7V Solar Ranch, Naturgy’s first renewable energy project in the U.S., which recently started its operation with a power capacity of 240 MW and an annual generation capacity of 560 GWh. The facility consists of over 555,500 modules spread over 1,900 acres.

Naturgy is currently developing a portfolio of more than 30 solar technology-based projects with a capacity of over 6 GW in the U.S., a strategic market for the group. Outside of Spain, the group has over 3,000 MW of renewable power in operation.

Continue reading

The data comes from the EIA’s Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory, collected from survey Form EIA-860M. That collects generator-level specific information about existing and planned generators and associated equipment for resources of over a megawatt.

It’s the second year in a row that the EIA has said developers’ plans amounted to a near-doubling of the installed base of battery energy storage system (BESS) assets.

As of the end of 2022, EIA had counted up about 8.8GW of operational grid-scale BESS, and said a further 9.4GW was anticipated to be added in 2023.

However that discrepancy between today’s installed base of 16GW and last year’s expectation that the base would have reached 18.2GW by now also means there were about 2GW of planned projects that didn’t make it over the line last year.

This is perhaps due to industry headwinds like supply chain constraints, permitting delays and interconnection waiting times, which analysis firm Wood Mackenzie identified as the causes of delays for around that amount of new storage in a quarterly report on the US market during last year.

As with last year, California and Texas will see the most battery storage installations among US states. As of November 2023, California had 7,302MW of utility-scale BESS, and Texas 3,167MW.

All other US state’s installed capacity by the end of last year added up to 3.5GW, less than half California’s capacity. The next biggest state after California and Texas, Arizona, was on just 803MW.  

The EIA found also that so far, developers are planning 9GW of additions in 2025, but presumably this figure will rise as the date gets closer. In total more than 300 utility-scale projects are expected to come online by the end of 2025.

With Texas’ ERCOT merchant energy storage market opportunity facilitating rapid growth, around half of all new additions will be in that state, EIA said, and a list of the five biggest projects in California and Texas planned for 2024-2025 includes two projects of 600MW or more each.   

Energy-Storage.news’ publisher Solar Media will host the 6th Energy Storage Summit USA, 19-20 March 2024 in Austin, Texas. Featuring a packed programme of panels, presentations and fireside chats from industry leaders focusing on accelerating the market for energy storage across the country. For more information, go to the website.

Continue reading