A $300,000 grant was awarded to Axion Power International to develop and demonstrate a renewable solar energy storage technology. The company will utilize its PbC PowerCube battery technology to develop the storage system. This grant is from Pennsylvania Commonwealth Financing Authority’s Solar Energy Program.
Axion Power International will use the award to demonstrate its latest storage technology of PbC batteries in a Smart Grid system, where electricity produced from renewable energy sources such as wind or sun is stored during less peak periods and supplied to the grid during peak demand times.
According to Chief Executive Officer of Axion, Thomas Granville, for operating a Smart Grid system, storage of energy is a vital component and it provides a great opportunity for the company to prove the value of its PbC batteries. To make best use of the renewable energy sources such as wind and sun, the energy produced during high generation times must be stored in batteries and supplied to the grid during peak load or high demand periods. When compared to lead acid batteries, Axion’s PbC batteries have longer cycle with rapid recharging capability and will be supplied for these renewable energy storage applications, Granville said.
In this project funded by the State of Pennsylvania, PbC batteries from Axion will be incorporated with a UPS power conditioner supplied by Eaton Corporation and a solar electric system and integrated with Envision Solar’s electric vehicle charging station.