Japan, Land of the Rising Grid-Tied Battery

By Jeff St. John on Greentech Media.com, November 3 2009

Japan already has a lead over Europe and the United States when it comes to storing grid electricity – especially intermittent wind and solar power – in big batteries. Several deals announced recently seem to be set to expand it.

Take Sanyo, which last week announced a big new push into using its lithium-ion batteries to store grid power. By next year, the company expects to have Sanyo smart energy systems (SanyoSES) linking its solar panels and batteries to energy efficient refrigerators, air conditioners and lighting systems.

To get there, Sanyo will both be scaling up its development of high-capacity lithium-ion battery systems and scaling down its market to target stores, schools, and homes, as well as the factories and high-rise buildings that make up its current target markets, it said.

www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/japan-land-of-the-rising-grid-tied-battery/