Solar PV system component wholesaler Solar 360 has recently launched its own branded line of energy storage products onto the Australian market under the banner of 360Storage, further widening the range of […]
Category: Solar System Products
Solar Choice blog articles and reviews about components for solar power systems, including solar inverters, solar cells, solar modules, and solar batteries.
Cheaper and lighter battery design a win-win for storage
UK-based Cenex have recently developed an electric vehicle (EV) battery that is 41% lighter than standard EV batteries. In addition to the reduced weight, the ‘EV-Lite’ battery decreases the cost […]
Solar panels & energy storage: What to consider
Energy storage is an option whose appeal is growing globally–and Australia is no exception. But energy storage is seldom considered as an option in isolate: the vast majority of those […]
Sharp enters energy storage market with SmartStorage
In a major boost to the growing market for grid and renewable energy storage, Japanese PV manufacturer, Sharp, has recently debuted a new grid connect energy storage solution dubbed ‘SmartStorage’. […]
Sonnenbatterie energy storage systems
Sonnenbatterie is a German manufacturer of energy storage devices with a focus on electricity self-sufficiency. The company, whose name means ‘solar battery’ in German, offers products that not only store […]
SunPower to offer commercial energy storage solution in Australia in 2015
Commercial energy storage systems could hit the Australian market as soon as next year, according to leading US solar company SunPower. SunPower, one of the world’s biggest PV module manufacturers […]
15-20% of Australian solar customers interested in energy storage
Installation rates of battery storage systems in Australian homes could reach around 1,000 a year by the end of 2014, according to new estimates, as solar households look for ways […]
Fronius offering 10 year warranty on inverters until end of 2014
Fronius Australia is offering free extended warranties on its inverters until the end of the year, according to a recent press release from the company. Those who have a solar […]
Shoalhaven River Retreat centre’s solar arrays still going strong 4 years on
Solar panels at a retreat centre in the Shoalhaven area are still going strong after 4 years of operation. The property where the installation lives, named Oallen, sits near the […]
Sunpower and KB Homes partnership offers PV with battery storage
Sunpower is offering fully integrated solar PV and battery storage solutions for new energy efficient homes in Southern California, in partnership with US home builder KB Homes. The pilot program initially aims […]
New technique to unlock Li-ion’s replacement: the lithium-sulphur battery
Pushing the boundary of lithium-based battery technologies is a new lithium-sulphur battery technology being jointly developed by researchers in the US and Korea. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), […]
FRV suggests energy storage ‘multiplier’ incentive to encourage renewables, reduce peak demand
Spanish renewables group, FRV, has suggested the introduction of a form of banding, or a “multiplier,” to encourage the development of energy storage. FRV suggests a multiplier could be applied […]
Energy storage at center of discussion at Intersolar Europe 2014
Energy storage has dominated discussion in the opening days of the world’s biggest solar conference, the Intersolar Europe 2014 in Munich, with industry leaders pinpointing it as a major component of the […]
Lithium what? Know your Lithium Ion battery technologies
The solar world is abuzz with the advantages that energy storage systems can bring to solar owners. In Germany alone, their support for solar storage has resulted in more than […]
RESA’s VoltLogic gets grid connection approval for most of NSW
Renewable energy technology developer Renewable Energy Solutions Australia (RESA) has received approval for its VoltLogic power management device to connect to the grid in sections of NSW where power export […]
Robotic tracking manufacturer QBotix attracts $12 million in new investment
QBotix, developer of robotic tracking systems for PV systems, has attracted close to USD $12 million in capital in its second funding round. QBotix is expected to use the funds […]
Solimpeks case studies demonstrate space efficiency of PV-T technology
Hybrid solar PV-Thermal module developer Solimpeks has released 3 detailed desktop studies from its engineering team on the advantages of PV-T technology. In instances where businesses or homes have water or […]
Ambri’s liquid metal battery edges closer to commercialisation
Promising grid-scale battery technology startup Ambri has recently completed its third round of funding, bringing its unique liquid metal battery closer to full-scale commercialisation. Ambri raised a total of USD […]
International standards proposed for redox reflow batteries
A recent development may give grid storage batteries, particularly redox flow batteries, a major push towards adoption. The International Electrochemical Commission (IEC), a body that issues important universal technical standards, […]
Panasonic breaks silicon efficiency record after 15 years with a 25.6% efficient HIT cell
After a run of nearly 15 years, the record efficiency for silicon solar cells was finally broken last week. Panasonic Corporation announced last Thursday (10 April 2014) that it has […]
Solar forecasting & solar system performance modeling services by Reuniwatt
The world’s electricity mix is changing much more rapidly than could have been anticipated just a decade ago. As renewable energy sources like wind and solar power grow to take […]
Sun MonitOZ: Solar system performance app (Currently seeking beta-testers)
The popularity of rooftop solar power systems has soared globally in recent years, and Australia remains one of the global leaders for home solar uptake. This is due in part […]
Panasonic announces stand-alone PV-storage product for remote islands
Panasonic Corporation recently announced that it has developed a 3kW/13kWh stand-alone photovoltaic power package. The product is being targeted towards remote and non-electrified areas and has been selected for use in […]
German startup Qinous aims to bring energy storage to remote areas
German startup Qinous has devised with a ‘plug-and-play’ energy storage solution that aims to bring access to cleaner, more reliable electricity to the world, beginning with a focus on remote […]
Morgan Stanley: US solar PV and solar-with-storage installs to skyrocket
Investment bank Morgan Stanley says the addressable market for solar PV in the US is way bigger than anyone had previously imagined; and battery storage costs could fall way quicker […]
Prediction: Some utilities will adapt, many will perish
We have a lot to thank the electricity industry for, let’s be clear about that. Energy has transformed our life and brought wealth and health to billions of people. But […]
Texan start-up offers plug-in DIY solar kit for the US market
Nothing says self-reliance and (energy) independence quite like a do-it-yourself (DIY) solar system. And, as a US start-up, Plugged Solar, would like to convince you, nothing says easy DIY better […]
Who will own the batteries? GSES suggests some ways utilities can adapt to the rise of distributed generation
Although we’re still waiting for it to happen, everyone in the Australian renewable energy sector is talking (a lot) about energy storage and its supposedly massive potential to revolutionise how […]
Victron Energy’s ECOmulti: Energy storage for small-scale solar systems
Grid-connected energy storage for solar PV systems has become a hot topic in 2013 as energy storage technology prices fall and retail electricity prices rise–seeming inexorably. Meanwhile, feed-in tariff rewards have […]
New energy storage incentive program in Japan will cover 2/3 of install costs
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) has introduced a generous incentive for lithium-ion energy storage that could reduce energy storage system installation costs by up to 2/3. This […]
US Energy Secretary hints energy storage could be on par with oil boom in disruptive capacity
United States Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz has hinted in an inverview with Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) that energy storage has the potential to dramatically change the way that electricity […]
