Smart-Grid Technology for Eco-Extravagance
Katie Cordrey — September 26, 2009 — Eco
References: nation-e & livemodern
Micro Finance Investment AG, a Swiss-based private equity fund, has announced that its battery company Nation-E is already in production slated for the market in 2010. A 1-megawatt battery could be a key component in storage system design for a smart grid application and renewable energy production.
One of the barriers to making full use of solar and wind energy is the ability to store energy when the sun goes down or the wind stops blowing. Traditional batteries have limited capacity and are expensive to produce if they are to be large enough to be capable of storing a significant amount of energy.
It seems that Nation-E has cracked the technological nut; the only disappointment is that the first planned real-world application is to be installed on luxury yachts.
One of the barriers to making full use of solar and wind energy is the ability to store energy when the sun goes down or the wind stops blowing. Traditional batteries have limited capacity and are expensive to produce if they are to be large enough to be capable of storing a significant amount of energy.
It seems that Nation-E has cracked the technological nut; the only disappointment is that the first planned real-world application is to be installed on luxury yachts.
Trend Themes
1. Renewable Energy Storage - Opportunity to develop advanced battery technologies for efficient storage of solar and wind energy.
2. Smart Grid Applications - Potential to integrate 1-megawatt batteries in smart grid systems for optimized renewable energy production and distribution.
3. Micro Finance Investment - Emerging trend of private equity funds investing in battery technologies to support renewable energy solutions.
Industry Implications
1. Battery Manufacturing - Disruptive innovation opportunity to produce larger capacity and more cost-effective batteries for renewable energy storage.
2. Luxury Yacht - An industry that can benefit from adopting eco-friendly smart-grid technologies to reduce reliance on traditional power sources.
3. Private Equity - Opportunity for private equity firms to invest in battery companies and support the development and commercialization of renewable energy solutions.
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