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The company claims LCOE is less than half the cost of any other battery technology available.
Imergy Power Systems just introduced its third-generation vanadium flow battery, claiming it offers a low-cost, high-performance energy storage solution for large-scale applications, including peak demand management, frequency regulation and the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources.
The ESP250 has an output power capability of 250 kilowatts and 1 megawatt of energy storage capacity. It''s suited for both short- and long-duration storage, with available energy ranging from two to 12 hours of output duration. The 40-foot batteries (each about the size of two shipping containers) are designed to be deployed individually or linked together for larger-scale projects.
“Most folks will concentrate on the bigger systems because of the economics,” said Tim Hennessy, Imergy president and CEO, in an interview. “We’ve been able to go to the low-end platform and compete almost on the commodity market with the lead-acid batteries and lithiums. Now on the larger scale, which is our latest release, we’re able to leverage economies of scale.”
Imergy (formerly Deeya Energy) started out in the telecommunications space in India, where its 5-kilowatt modules were used to displace remote diesel generators. After some rebranding, the company made a strong push into the commercial and industrial energy storage market last year with the launch of the ESP30 (30-50 kilowatts).
Imergy announced last week the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District will install several ESP30 batteries for a total capacity of 250 kilowatts/1 megawatt-hour as part of a microgrid project at Las Positas College in Livermore. Imergy and Growing Energy Labs Inc. (Geli), a designer of energy storage and microgrid management solutions, received a $1.5 grant from the California Energy Commission to participate in the project.
The smart microgrid made up of Imergy''s institutional-scale vanadium redox flow batteries, a 2.35 megawatt solar array, ice thermal storage and ten level two electric vehicle charging stations is expected to produce $75,000 in annual energy savings for the District.
Other companies making vanadium flow batteries include China’s Rongke Power, Germany’s Gildemeister and Japan’s Sumitomo. Hennessy claims Imergy’s technology is one-third the cost of its competitors because of its unique electrolyte.
Imergy has benefited from licensing research at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), which developed a new vanadium electrolyte that could improve energy density by more than 70 percent. Two other American companies, Washington-based UniEnergy Technologies and the Massachusetts-based startup WattJoule have also licensed PNNL technology.
Where Imergy has been able to edge out its competitors is on material cost. Vanadium is abundant but expensive to extract from the ground. Imergy has developed a unique chemistry that allows it to use cheaper, recycled resources of vanadium from mining slag, fly ash and other environmental waste.
With this chemistry, the levelized cost of energy for Imergy’s batteries is less than half of any other battery on the market right now, according to Hennessy. Vanadium flow batteries are orders of magnitude cheaper than lithium-ion batteries on a lifetime basis because they can be 100 percent cycled an unlimited number of times, whereas lithium-ion batteries wear down with use, according to the firm. Despite the compelling cost claims from Imergy, lithium-ion has been the predominant energy storage technology being deployed at this early point of the market. And very few flow batteries are currently providing grid services.
Imergy’s capital costs are lower than every other battery technology except lead-acid, Hennessy added. But he believes the company can hit that mark (roughly $200 per kilowatt-hour) by the end of the year by outsourcing contracts to manufacturing powerhouse Foxconn Technology Group in China. Delivery of the ESP250 is targeted for summer of 2015.
At this price, Imergy says the ESP250 offers an affordable alternative to peaker plants and can help utilities avoid investing more capital in the grid. Some might disagree with the claim that grid-scale storage can compete with fast-start turbines and natural gas prices below $3 per million Btu. But according to Hennessy, it all comes down to the application. Batteries can’t compete with gas at the 50-megawatt scale, but they can compete with gas at the distribution level.
“Batteries that are distributed have a huge advantage over gas, because when you buy gas down at the low end, you’re paying a lot more than $3 to $4 per MMBtu, because you’ve got to pay for all the transmission down to the small end,” he said.
Demand for cost-effective energy storage is growing as intermittent renewables become cheaper and come on-line in higher volumes. GTM Research anticipates the solar-plus-storage market to grow from $42 million in 2014 to more than $1 billion by 2018.
Imergy sees a ripe market in the Caribbean, parts of Africa and India, Hawaii and other places where the LCOE for solar-plus-storage is already competitive. As costs continue to fall, New York, California and Texas will also become attractive markets.
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Bangalore, October 29,2014 /PRNewswire/ --
Imergy Power Systems, a pioneer in advanced energy storage systems, today introduced the ESP30 series, a new generation of vanadium flow batteries that dramatically lowers the cost and increases the performance and flexibility of energy storage systems for utilities, renewable energy projects, microgrids, and commercial and industrial customers.
The ESP30 series has a power capability of up to 50 kilowatts (kW) and can store up to 200 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity. The power and capacity of the ESP30 make it well suited for a variety of demanding energy storage applications, including peak shaving, demand response, energy shifting, renewable energy firming, and microgrid or back-up power.
It is the first battery from Imergy to use secondary sources of vanadium like mining slag, fly ash, and other environmental waste. As a result of this technology and other developments, Imergy will be able to lower the cost of its flow batteries from $500 per kilowatt hour, already an industry benchmark, to under $300 per kilowatt hour.
The ESP30 modules measure approximately 6 meters (20'' shipping container), with available energy ranging from 2 to 12 hours of output duration. ESP30 modules can be linked together to form Energy Storage Platforms (ESP) capable of delivering megawatts of power and storing megawatt hours of energy. The system provides power security (can operate in full islanded mode) and power quality (with fast response time for seamless power source transitions, load transients, and photovoltaic system firming).
The ESP30 also incorporates fast charge capabilities and state-of-the-art controls and electronics, and can be remotely managed using secure Linux- and Windows-based integrated dispatch optimization software.
Customer deliveries of the ESP30 will begin in November in the United States and India for microgrid applications.
"This new model represents an exponential step forward in vanadium flow battery technology," said Bill Watkins, CEO of Imergy Power Systems. "The additional power capability and capacity of the new ESP30 series makes this battery one of the lowest cost storage options for solar arrays, wind turbines, and behind-the-meter grid applications. In addition, the minimum 20-year cycle life of the electrolyte and the residual value of the vanadium deliver a phenomenal value for the customer."
The ESP30 operates within a far wider temperature range than lithium ion or other storage solutions and is air-cooled. The storage duration can be extended by increasing electrolyte concentration and volume. Built in a modular fashion from replaceable components, the ESP30 has a lifetime that is effectively unlimited.
Imergy Power specializes in a proprietary, vanadium based flow battery system, the most cost-effective energy storage technology available today. Flow batteries essentially store energy in a liquid electrolyte that circulates between tanks. The simplicity of the design creates a robust and efficient system that can be cycled thousands of times in a year, and charged and discharged completely without impact on its lifespan. Integrated power electronics manage the charging and discharging processes, but the unique architecture allows the system to be scaled up in size by simply increasing the electrolyte volumes. The Imergy product inherently lasts longer than conventional batteries, with lower maintenance costs and fewer thermal management concerns.
Imergy Power Systems is a leader in stationary energy storage using innovative flow battery technology. Its proven Energy Storage Platform (ESP) provides a total solution to reduce energy cost and optimize renewable power generation while improving overall power reliability. Imergy Power Systems is headquartered in Fremont, California, USA, with additional operations in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The company''s investors include venture capital firms NEA, Technology Partners, and Blue Run.
Primary Media Contact: Julie Still, [email protected], +1-8313321025, Imergy Power Systems, Inc.
Secondary Media Contact: Rehan Almeida, [email protected], +91-9886447746, Practice Strategic Communications
Imergy designs and manufactures vanadium flow battery systems. The simplicity of the design creates a robust, cost-effective and efficient system that can be charged and discharged completely, and cycled thousands of times a year without impact on its lifespan. Integrated power electronics manage the charging and discharging processes, and the architecture allows the system to be scaled up in size by simply increasing the electrolyte volumes.
About Imergy power systems
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Imergy power systems have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Imergy power systems for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Imergy power systems featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
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