长时储能——定义为可存储电力超过10小时的能量系统——通常被称为清洁能源的圣杯，它是支撑经济真正依靠间歇性可再生能源源和电网中断后备用电力的关键技术。
Long-duration energy storage — defined as a system that can store energy for more than 10 hours — is often called the Holy Grail of clean energy. It is the linchpin technology that will allow the economy to truly run off intermittent renewable energy sources and backup power after grid disruptions.
它已经成为未来20年的下一个重大技术里程碑。
It’s been the Next Big Thing for about 20 years. But maybe, just maybe, it really is the next big thing right now.
2022年7月,美国能源部启动了一项行动规划,计划在2030年前将长时储能成本降低90%,作为其“能源计划”的一部分。
In July, the Department of Energy launched an effort to push down costs of long-duration energy storage by 90 percent by 2030 as part of its Energy Earthshot Initiative.
“我们将在未来几年向电网引入数百GW的清洁能源,我们需要能够在任何时间和地点使用这种能源,”能源部长詹妮弗·格兰霍姆在一份声明中说。“这就是为什么能源部正积极致力于更廉价、更长时间的储能,以实现拜登总统设定的2035年前100%清洁电力的目标。”
“We’re going to bring hundreds of gigawatts of clean energy onto the grid over the next few years, and we need to be able to use that energy wherever and whenever it’s needed,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement. “That’s why DOE is working aggressively toward cheaper, longer-duration energy storage to reach President [Joe] Biden’s goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035.”
无论是由于“能源计划”的宣布,还是由于恰当的时机选择,在过去一个月中,各种使用长时储能新技术并承诺低成本的储能创业公司吸引了大量投资。以下是过去三周的五项重大公告以及它们技术的独特之处。
Whether a result of the Earthshot announcement or simply good timing, in the last month, big investors have backed a variety of energy storage startups using new technologies and promising low costs. Here are five major announcements from the last three weeks, and what makes their technologies unique.
Energy Vault
新闻:2022年8月25日,Energy Vault宣布获得1亿美元C轮融资,由Prime Movers Lab牵头,沙特阿美和Softbank基金跟投。在该消息之后,Energy Vault宣布与Novus Capital II的另类收购公司(SPAC)交易,该交易使该储能公司进入纽约证券交易所。根据新闻稿,合并后公司的企业市值为11亿美元。
The news: On Aug. 25, Energy Vault announced $100 million in Series C funding, led by Prime Movers Lab alongside Saudi Aramco and Softbank Vision Fund. Following that news, Energy Vault announced a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) with Novus Capital II in a deal that landed the energy storage venture on the New York Stock Exchange. The pro-forma enterprise value of the combined company is $1.1 billion, according to a press release.
技术:基于重力的电网侧储能，该系统利用多余的可再生能源提升砖块,然后在峰值需求期间降低砖块以产生能量——所有这些都由AI软件控制并且是自动执行的。
The technology: gravity-based, grid-scale energy storage. The system uses excess renewable energy to raise bricks, then lowers the bricks to generate energy during peak demand — all controlled by AI software and executed autonomously.
价值:一种在35年技术使用寿命内成本效益高、可靠、安全且环保可持续的储能系统。
Value proposition: An energy storage system that is cost-efficient, reliable, safe to operate and environmentally sustainable over a 35-year technical life.
部署:Energy Vault表示它有8个项目在构建中,总计1.2GWh的储能容量,计划在美国、欧洲、中东和澳大利亚进行部署。
Deployment status: Energy Vault says it has eight projects in the pipeline for a total of 1.2 gigawatt-hours of energy storage capacity, with deployments planned for the U.S., Europe, Middle East and Australia.
FlexGen Power Systems
新闻:2022年8月25日,FlexGen Power Systems宣布获得Apollo Global Management管理的基金1.5亿美元股权投资。
The news: On Aug. 25, FlexGen Power Systems announced a $150 million equity commitment from funds managed by Apollo Global Management.
技术:FlexGen承诺提供电网规模和微电网储能,并与能源管理软件集成。该公司于2009年开始为军方提供储能服务。
The technology: FlexGen promises grid-scale and microgrid energy storage, integrated with energy management software. The company got its start in 2009 providing energy storage to the military.
价值:集成软件以实现储能资产的“最优性能”。该公司认为储能的价值在于硬件和软件之间的连接。
The value proposition: Integrated software to reach “peak asset performance.” The company sees the value of energy storage as the connection between the hardware and software to optimize performance.
部署:该公司网站上列出了20多个公用事业规模的储能项目,主要位于得克萨斯州,提供负载平移和辅助服务。
Deployment status: The company has more than 20 utility-scale energy storage projects listed on its website, primarily in Texas, which provides load shifting and ancillary services.
EnerVenue
新闻:2022年9月15日,EnerVenue宣布获得1亿美元A轮融资——对于如此早期的创业公司来说是一笔巨额资金。Schlumberger New Energy领投,沙特阿美能源风险投资等跟投。
The news: On Sept. 15, EnerVenue announced a $100 million in Series A funding — a monster round for such an early-stage venture. Schlumberger New Energy led the investment, accompanied by Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures and others.
技术:镍氢电池,可在极端高温和低温下运行,目前成本低于锂离子电池。镍氢也比锂离子重,不太适合电动汽车,但可能是电网级储能的一个不错选择。
The technology: Nickel-hydrogen batteries, which can operate in extreme heat and cold and are currently less expensive than lithium-ion cells. Nickel hydrogen is also heavier than lithium-ion, making it less ideal for electric vehicles, though potentially a good option for grid-scale storage.
价值:该公司承诺一个前期和运营成本低、持久耐用且灵活的储能解决方案。它最初与NASA合作,为国际空间站和哈勃空间望远镜供电,公司认为这证明了该技术在极端条件下运行的能力。
Value proposition: The company promises an energy storage solution with low upfront and operational costs that is long-lasting and flexible. It got its start with NASA, powering the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope, which the company points to as evidence of the technology’s ability to perform in extreme conditions.
Malta
新闻:2022年8月25日,Malta宣布完成了6000万美元B轮融资,雪佛龙科技风险投资和Piva Capital加入了Proman、Alfa Laval、Breakthrough Energy Ventures和Facebook联合创始人扎克伯格的投资行列。
The news: On Aug. 25, Malta Inc announced it raised $60 million in Series B financing, backed by Chevron Technology Ventures and Piva Capital have joined Proman, Alfa Laval, Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Dustin Moskovitz, a Facebook co-founder.
技术:Malta使用一种称为抽蓄热储能的电热技术,这是由X(原Google X)开发的。它的工作原理是将电能转换为热能,将热量储存在熔融盐中,将冷量储存在冷却液中。然后它利用由温差驱动的热机发电。
The technology: Malta uses an electro-thermal technology that it calls a pumped heat energy storage system, developed out of X, the Moonshot Factory (formerly Google X). It works by converting electrical energy into thermal energy, storing the heat in molten salt and cold in chilled liquid. It then uses a heat engine, powered by the temperature differential, back to electricity.
价值:该技术具有长周期、电网级别且具有成本效益的储能技术。公司称其可以高效地储存最多200小时的能量。Malta表示该技术也可用于产生工业过程热。
Value proposition: The technology boasts a long-duration, grid-scale, cost-effective energy storage technology. The company says it can efficiently store up to 200 hours of energy. Malta says the technology can also be used to generate heat for industrial heat applications.
Form Energy
新闻:由特斯拉前员工创立的四年公司Form Energy在2022年8月24日完成了2.4亿美元D轮融资,投资方包括钢铁公司ArcelorMittal。
The news: Form Energy, a four-year-old company founded by a former Tesla employee, closed $240 million in Series D financing Aug. 24, with investors including steel company ArcelorMittal.
技术:Form使用铁-空气电池,将铁转化为铁锈,然后再将铁锈转化回铁,在此过程中放电和充电电池。该公司称其电池可储存100小时的电力,系统成本可与传统电厂媲美。
The technology: Form uses an iron-air battery, which converts iron to rust, then rust back into iron, discharging and charging the battery in the process. The company says that its battery can store electricity for 100 hours at system costs competitive with legacy power plants.
背景:Form Energy于2022年7月发布消息称,其长时电池将在2025年准备好批量生产——价格仅为其他储能系统的一小部分。尽管其他公司也做出过类似承诺,但Form Energy称这次不同。“我们之前在电池行业创业失败，想要东山再起,”公司联合创始人之一姜宜明告诉《华尔街日报》。
The context: Form Energy made headlines in July when it announced its long-duration battery should be ready for mass production by 2025 — at a fraction of the price of other energy storage systems. While other companies have made similar promises, Form Energy says this time is different. “We’re the alumni of a generation of failed battery companies who all came back for more,” Yet-Ming Chiang, one of the company’s co-founders, told the Wall Street Journal.
一种廉价的、长时的储能技术即将商业化。Form估计其储能成本将低于6$/KWh,而镍、钴、锂或锰矿物的成本为50-80$/KWh。
A cheap, long-duration energy storage source that is on the verge of commercialization. Form estimates it will spend less than $6 per kilowatt-hour of storage, compared to $50 to $80 per kWh of nickel, cobalt, lithium or manganese minerals.
