US-based battery storage group Fluence is forming a 50-50 joint venture with Indian renewable energy company, ReNew Power, to target India’s fast-developing energy storage market. The new company, set to start operations in the first half of this year, is eyeing a market that India’s Central Electricity Authority has forecast could reach 27 GW /108 GWh by 2030 – from just a few megawatt-hours today. The partners did not disclose the battery chemistry to be deployed in the energy storage systems supplied by the JV.  'Made-in-India' content However, Fluence, a joint venture of Siemens and AES, is already deploying its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery storage systems for projects worldwide – and will "localise and integrate products and packages" in India.   As World Battery News reported earlier this month, Fluence has also agreed a deal with battery tech developer, QuantumScape, aimed at introducing solid-state lithium-metal technology to stationary storage systems. Fluence CEO, Manuel Pérez Dubuc, said the group’s patented technologies and designs would be made available to the JV, while ‘made-in-India' content would be gradually increased. The JV will be managed and operated by an independent management team and also offer EPC and asset management services. Wind and solar  ReNew will be the JV’s first customer – with the supply of a 150 MWh battery energy storage system for ReNew’s 300 MW ‘peak power' project in Karnataka state. ReNew also has a ‘round-the-clock’ electricity supply deal with the Solar Energy Corporation of India, to deploy 1,300 MW of wind and solar capacity and a large-scale battery storage system in the country.   Power will be generated from wind and solar farms across Karnataka, Maharashtra and Rajasthan – where ReNew has approvals to connect project sites to the grid through the inter-state transmission system. Related articles in our archive QuantumScape and Fluence to develop solid-state lithium-metal tech for stationary battery storage India's Reliance Industries unit to acquire UK sodium-ion battery tech firm Faradion

India’s Reliance Industries has announced plans to invest 5.95 trillion rupees (about £59bn) to set up a series of "green energy" projects including batteries for storage sytems in the western state of Gujarat. Reliance said the investment will span 10 to 15 years and include the setting up of a 100 GW "renewable energy power plant and green hydrogen eco-system”. The company said it is already in talks with Gujurat’s state government to identify a site for the renewable power plant. Reliance will also support small and medium enterprises "and encourage entrepreneurs to embrace new technologies and innovations” – and assist in Gujurat’s plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. Sodium-ion deal The company aims to produce solar modules, fuel cells and batteries for energy storage systems. Reliance chairman and MD, Mukesh Ambani, said last year that the company would build an "advanced energy storage gigafactory” in India as part of its developing new energy business. Earlier this month, the company’s Reliance New Energy Solar subsidiary confirmed plans to acquire UK sodium-ion battery tech developer, Faradion. Reliance said it would use Faradion’s technology as part of its plans to develop India’s renewable energy and fast-growing electric vehicle charging market. Related articles in our archive India's Reliance Industries unit to acquire UK sodium-ion battery tech firm Faradion Asian Development Bank loan for Engie solar plant in Gujarat

US-based Fluence is to deploy its first battery energy storage system (BESS) in Taiwan in a project for renewables provider Ina Energy. Fluence, a joint venture of Siemens and AES, will supply its Gridstack lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery technology for the 6MW / 6MWh BESS in in Taoyuan. The company will work with the Taiwan-based TECO Group and its subsidiary YATEC to offer Automatic Frequency Control services to the state-owned utility Taiwan Power Company. Achal Sondhi, VP of market growth for Asia Pacific at Fluence, said Taiwan was the company’s 30th market. 'New chapter' "Fluence views Taiwan as a key market in the region, and we look forward to working with our customers and business partners there to enhance the energy storage efficiency of the island’s overall power ecosystem and open a new chapter for sustainable energy in Taiwan,” Sondhi said. Taiwan’s energy policy is structured to generate 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2025 – up from about 5% in 2020. Frequency control is a key priority for Taiwan as its traditionally centralised grid system has faced growing challenges from intermittent renewable energy sources trying to connect to the grid.   Taipower aims to boost installed battery storage capacity to 590 MWh by 2025 to support grid stabilisation. Related articles in our archive Engie and Macquarie partnering Fluence to build Gridstack LFP battery storage project in Australia Taiwan's ProLogium Technology secures investment boost to expand solid-state battery plans

Australia-listed Vulcan Energy Resources has been granted five new exploration licences to expand its Zero Carbon Lithium (ZCL) project in Germany’s Upper Rhine Valley. The move increases Vulcan’s licensed area to explore for lithium and geothermal energy by nearly 50% to more than 1,000 square kilometres. Managing director Dr Francis Wedin said the new licences will boost Vulcan’s plans to play a key role in the lithium supply chain for battery electric vehicles and energy production in Europe. Wedin has said previously that Vulcan has demonstrated the potential for zero carbon production of lithium hydroxide, with co-production of renewable geothermal energy, to be "highly profitable as well as environmentally friendly”. 'Significant potential' "These new exploration licences give us significant potential to further scale up our project as the market continues to grow, whilst also meeting the increasing demand for renewable heat and power,” Wedin said. The new licences, which cover an area of 325 sq km, have been issued by the federal state of Rhineland-Pfalz and complement existing licenses in the state, as well as in Hessen and Baden-Württemberg.   Vulcan announced the completion of a pre-feasibility study for its Germany project in 2021. The company said its production process is more environmentally friendly because a hot salar brine feedstock produces heat for renewable power production – in addition to providing lithium. Related articles in our archive Vulcan Energy Resources finalises 'zero carbon' lithium supply deal with Renault Vulcan Energy Resources completes study for German 'zero carbon lithium' project

Finnish technology group Wärtsilä has entered the Dutch market to supply the country’s largest battery storage system to support grid stability and boost the use of renewable energy. Wärtsilä said the 25 MW / 48 MWh GridSolv Quantum lithium iron phosphate system is being supplied to GIGA Storage in the Netherlands.   The ‘GIGA Buffalo battery’ system is expected to become operational in October 2022. Buffalo will be Wärtsilä’s first energy storage project in the Netherlands and the country’s largest system to date – storing the equivalent of the annual energy consumption of more than 9,000 homes annually. 'Renewable energy The system will be co-located with wind and solar generating facilities at the Widnet smart grid, at the Wageningen University & Research test centre in Lelystad.   Eneco, a leading energy provider in the Netherlands, will utilise the battery to make its energy services more sustainable and add more renewable energy on the grid.   Wärtsilä said the battery storage system will also help to optimise the power system, regulate energy frequency and reliability on the grid and improve revenues.   Maarten Quist, COO of GIGA Storage, said: "The Buffalo battery will help stabilise the Netherlands’ electricity grid and save a maximum of 23,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.” Related articles in our archive Wärtsilä to supply energy storage system to The Bahamas Dutch pension fund backs energy storage, renewables in switch from fossil fuel investments

TotalEnergies (TE), owner of French battery group Saft, has unveiled plans to develop a series of solar and energy storage projects to support industrial operations in the Pacific Ocean territory of New Caledonia. TE said there would be a phased development of ground-based photovoltaic arrays with an installed capacity of 160 MW, in addition to 340 MWh of battery energy storage capacity, between 2022 and 2025. The projects are part of a 25-year renewable power purchase agreement for the industrial operations of mining and metallurgy consortium Prony Resources New Caledonia.   Most of the installations will be on property owned by the Grand Sud hydrometallurgical plant. The first photovoltaic power plant (30 MW) is scheduled to come on stream in 2023. Nickel and cobalt By combining solar energy and energy storage to replace electricity generated from coal, TE said the project will ultimately cover nearly two-thirds of the site's electricity needs and help avoid close to 230,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Prony Resources chairman Antonin Beurrier said: "Certainly, one of the most important pathways in our industrial transformation – an orderly and assertive transition of our energy mix towards renewables – allows Prony Resources to ensure that its electric vehicle battery manufacturer customers are supplied with high environmental quality nickel and cobalt while contributing to New Caledonia's sustainable development.” The choice of TotalEnergies brings in world-class industrial expertise and opens the door to exciting opportunities and innovations in the years ahead," declared Antonin Beurrier, Chairman of Prony Resources New Caledonia. Related articles in our archive Total Eren agrees deal for Saft battery storage and wind power project in Kazakhstan Total's Saft to work with Microsoft in batteries feasibility study for datacentres