Battery Metals

Solar photovoltaic panels in the desert near Phoenix may seem unremarkable. After all, the southwestern United States offers some of the best solar conditions in North America.

But a recently announced 65 megawatt (MW) project is making news by coupling solar PV with battery energy storage, a first for utility Arizona Public Service, which solicited proposals in 2017 for generation sources to provide electricity during peak demand hours.

Perhaps more noteworthy is the fact that the solar-plus-storage bid beat out other generation sources, including multiple proposals for natural gas plants. (The utility has an agreement with an existing natural gas-fired plant for a total of 570 MW for the summers of 2020 through 2026.)

Natural gas-fired combustion turbines are the go-to technology that utilities have long relied on to meet peak demand.

Similar to a jet engine, a gas combustion turbine can ramp up to full power within minutes to meet demand in places from Phoenix to Pittsburgh when air conditioners are cranked up on the hottest summer days.

Solar PV, on the other hand, has been considered by many in the industry to be an intermittent generating resource at best. At night and on cloudy days, the familiar argument goes, there’s no power.

But a dramatic drop in the cost of battery energy storage, driven in large part by an increase in lithium-ion battery production to satisfy growing demand for electric vehicles, is silencing some of that argument.

The cost of lithium-ion batteries has dropped “about 90 percent” in recent years, says Garrett Fitzgerald, manager in the Mobility Transformation Project for the Colorado-based Rocky Mountain Institute. Prices that had been as high as $1,000 a kilowatt-hour (kW) are now “sub $200/kWh,” and falling.

At the same time, storage is gaining a reputation for versatility. Utilities are learning that they can use a single storage project to do many different things. It’s something of a “Swiss Army knife” for the grid, Fitzgerald says, noting that storage is capable of providing services like frequency regulation, which maintains the grid’s electric frequency on a second-to-second basis, and reactive power support, which supports the voltage that must be controlled for grid reliability.

EV demand and a reputation for versatility are two factors that are working in favor of utility-scale energy storage, Fitzgerald says. Market rules among grid operators like PJM Interconnection in the eastern United States also are enabling the deployment of still more storage projects.

The Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration says PJM has the most utility-scale battery storage capacity in both power and energy terms. That’s because in 2012, PJM’s ancillary services market introduced a frequency regulation product designed to pay generation resources that can quickly adjust power output.

Since then, battery storage capacity in PJM has grown from 38 MW to 274 MW in 2016. More than 90 percent of that capacity helps with frequency regulation. Battery storage with electronic controls can respond faster than sources that rely on inertia from thermal power plants that provide “spinning reserves,” Fitzgerald says.

In a recent move, federal power regulators in mid-February directed grid operators across the United States to remove market barriers that might block storage deployment. Economists at the Brattle Group have said in a study that the policy initiatives add up to a possible market for as much as 50 gigawatts of energy storage in the United States within the next decade.

“There are important, but narrow, applications in which storage is already cost effective today,” says Judy Chang, a Brattle principal and co-author of the study. “We are not quite there yet, but as costs decline further, storage will be transformative for the power industry.”

The Arizona project developers tailored their bid around peaking capacity only, and no ancillary services were factored in, says Scott Rackey, who leads the PV plus storage development effort for FirstSolar, which will build, own, and operate the project.

The 65 MW will energize a 50 MW bank of lithium-ion batteries to provide energy between 3 PM and 8 PM as demand peaks. The batteries have a nameplate capacity of 135 MWh, and will be capable of delivering energy for at least three hours. Arizona Public Service signed a 15-year power-purchase agreement with First Solar for power from the array. Other terms were not disclosed.

When it’s operational at the end of 2021, the 65 MW solar PV array will be able to deliver energy to the grid while the sun is still high in the sky, Rackey says. As evening approaches, the batteries will discharge their energy and continue to provide power for peak demand.

The solar PV array is oversized relative to the storage battery to ensure that it is able to recharge the battery even under less than ideal solar conditions.  “This increases our chances of fully charging the battery,” Rackey says.

The facility will be built near the existing APS Redhawk Power Plant in western Maricopa County outside of Phoenix. The facility will be near the Palo Verde Generating Station which, at almost 4,000 MW, is the largest such nuclear facility in the United States.

The FirstSolar project will add to the three grid-scale batteries currently on APS’s system. Over the next 15 years, the utility says it plans to adopt more than 500 MW of additional battery storage.

For example, instead of rebuilding about 20 miles of transmission and distribution poles and wires, APS is installing two battery storage systems in a rural part of the state. The investment makes it one of the first electricity companies in the nation to use batteries in place of traditional infrastructure. The two 4 MWh Advancion batteries are made by AES Energy Storage. Construction on the project was set to begin in fall 2017.

Vendors for the solar-plus-energy project have yet to be chosen, Rackey says. The most “bankable” vendors today are in Asia and include Samsung and LG, with some Chinese suppliers also in the running. That could change in the coming months, however, especially if prices continue to drop. “We did not anticipate,” Rackey says, that battery energy storage’s viability would come “quite so quickly.”

Willich-Münchheide/Germany, March 05, 2018 – ROHM’s BD70522GUL is an ultra-low-power DC/DC converter with integrated MOSFETs, which meets the requirements of the IoT market for a long battery life of up to ten years with a single coin battery due to its low power consumption of only 180nA.

In recent years, the number of battery-powered devices such as smartphones and wearables for IoT has risen sharply. This increases the demand for smaller components that not only offer greater design flexibility and more space for integrating new features, but also extend battery life by reducing power consumption. To meet the needs of the IoT market, ROHM has combined its vertically integrated production system, which leverages the company’s expertise in developing power components, with Nano Energy technology and has developed an ultra-low-power DC/DC converter with a current consumption of 180nA.

The BD70522GUL features minute dimensions of 1.76mm x 1.56mm x 0.57mm and switching frequencies of between 0 and 1MHz, depending on the load. It works with supply voltages from 2.5V to 5.5V. As output voltages, the IC supplies 1.2V, 1.5V, 1.8V, 2.0V, 2.5V, 2.8V, 3.0V, 3.2V or 3.3V. The accuracy of the output voltage is ±2.0% (at 10mA), the maximum output current 500mA. The operating temperature range is between -40°C and +85°C. The new DC/DC converter is ideal for compact battery-powered devices such as wearables, sensor nodes and other industrial equipment such as alarms, electronic shelf labels, etc.

Both the BD70522GUL and its evaluation board (BD70522GUL-EVK-101) are available for purchase through online distributors.

Background information
The newly developed BD70522GUL ultra-low-power DC/DC power converter IC offers the following features:

1. Nano Energy technology facilitates the industry’s lowest power consumption of 180nA
Utilising Nano Energy technology, based on low-current analogue technologies for control circuitry and analogue layout optimised for power supply ICs, and its 0.35µm BiCDMOS power processes, ROHM was able to realise the ultra-low current consumption of 180nA.
According to a study by ROHM, the low power consumption increases no-load (standby) operation battery life 1.4 times over conventional solutions.

2. High efficiency over a wide load current range
In addition to the low-loss MOSFETs, a Seamless Switching Mode Control (SSMC) function is integrated, which automatically switches the load mode depending on the load current. The DC/DC converter developed by ROHM delivers a high power conversion efficiency of more than 90% over a wide load range from 10µA to 500mA and consumes less than 1µA in standby mode. This increases the battery life of numerous devices and applications.

Nano Energy technology

Nano Energy technology is a breakthrough, ultra-low current consumption technology developed by combining ROHM’s vertically integrated production system with analogue expertise in circuit design, layout and processes. In portable devices, including wearables, smartphones, etc. this permits long-term operation with smaller batteries.

About ROHM Semiconductor

ROHM Semiconductor is a global company of 352,010 million yen (3,23 billion US$) revenue per March 31th, 2017 with 21,308 employees. ROHM Semiconductor develops and manufactures a very large product range from the Ultra Low Power Microcontroller, Power Management, Standard ICs, SiC Diodes, MOSFETs and Modules, Power Transistors and Diodes, LEDs to passives components such as Resistors, Tantalum Capacitors and LED display units, thermal Printheads in state-of-the-art manufacturing plants in Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, China and Europe.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has launched the “Green Car” initiative where they want to have 10 per cent of all their vehicles turned into electric by the end of 2020.

The “Green Car” initiative will see them opening 20 electric charging stations free of charge for public use by the end of this year.

The twenty stations will be an addition to the existing ten which are reserved only for the staff, according to the Director of Administrative Affairs at the ministry, Khalifa Musabah Al Ketbi.

“We shall provide 20 additional stations spread in our centres and they will be free of charge to employees, clients and other members of the public.”

He said the gradual transformation of the vehicles into electric is meant to enhance the Ministry’s contribution to raising sustainable environment and strengthen the green economy which is will be in line with the vision of the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

He pointed out that the ministry is operating 10 electric car which are modern and are at par with the latest international technology.

What is the future of urban transportation? Electric cars are quickly gaining popularity as drivers catch on to the advantages of ditching gas, but what about electric motorcycles? For a decade now, e-motorbike maker Zero has been turning out increasingly capable two-wheelers to take on the urban sprawl — and even dirt roads. Its latest machine, the Zero DSR dual-sport claims to tackle both. But is keep up with it’s gas-powered cousins?

Is there any better way to slice through traffic in a crowded urban wasteland metropolis than on a motorcycle? Scooters are easier to ride, and bicycles are greener, but a thin-waisted, powerful and agile motorcycle is always the most fun.

But what if one machine really covered all the bases? After several weeks onboard the Zero DSR dual-sport electric motorcycle, we think we’ve found the true sweet spot for urban traffic warriors who like to get around on two wheels.

ADJUSTING TO AN ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

Have no illusions: The Zero DSR is a real-deal, full-size motorcycle, but because it’s also fully electric, there are a few new things for riders of gas-powered bikes to get used to.

First off, it has no gears to change. A quiet and largely maintenance-free belt — not a chain — drives the rear wheel right off the central crank of the air-cooled 74-horsepower electric motor, so there’s no clutch or shift lever. Yep, just twist and go, like a scooter. But the DSR is definitely not a scooter, with its standard-sized 17-inch wheels shod in modern rubber, big ABS disc brakes, and its … well, heft. Did we mention it’s big?

It’s set up better for the road than dirt, but it has a bit more suspension travel than a pure roadie, and comes shod in aggressively treaded Pirelli MT-series trail-capable tires. They aren’t hard-core DOT knobbies, but they do work well in light off-road challenges. They were also perfect for Portland’s crumbling and construction-dotted urban infrastructure, where potholes, wet pavement, gravel patches and unexpected obstacles reign.

You sit upright on the DSR like on any proper dual-sport, so the riding experience is very much like a “normal” dual-sport motorcycle, less the shifting and the typical accompanying sonic symphony. The hot and heavy metal lump of a motor between the frame rails has been replaced by a somewhat smaller and decidedly cooler (but still heavy) lithium-ion battery pack, which can range from 13-kilowatt hours to over 16KwH if you decide to option it up. Unlike a gas motor, it stays pretty quiet.

Riders can cycle through three ride modes using a button beside the right grip: Eco, Sport and Custom. Eco is the way to go for new riders or just tiptoeing through stuck traffic, which the DSR excels at. Cranking the throttle results in a smooth, unintimidating takeoff that will just outpace most Honda Civics, and the acceleration remains muted as the speed increases. It’s friendly, manageable, predictable, and also saves your juice.

When I was going through the Q4 2017 Tesla shareholder letter for a recent article, what might seem like a minor comment caught my attention. Tesla wrote, “We incorporated all the learnings from the development and production of Roadster, Model S, and Model X to create the world’s first mass market electric vehicle that is priced on par with its gasoline-powered equivalents – even without incentives.”

When we talk about this new generation of electric cars, we’re generally happy to highlight that we can now get relatively affordable electric cars that have relatively long driving range on a single charge. Depending on how you evaluate this, the Renault Zoe might have been the first such car (in Europe). If your requirement is over 200 miles of real-world range and/or you are focused on the North American market, the first car to offer this combo was the Chevy Bolt EV.

Yet, basically in reference to this key crossover point, Tesla claims that the Model 3 is “the world’s first mass market electric vehicle that is priced on par with its gasoline-powered equivalents.”

Tesla is implying one or two things in that line. It’s implying that the Chevy Bolt isn’t priced on par with its gasoline-powered equivalents and/or it’s implying that the Bolt isn’t a “mass market” electric vehicle. If Elon and crew gave it much thought — which I think they must have — it’s probably a two-point knock.

The Tesla Model 3 competes with the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, and similar vehicles. That’s the class it’s in. However, the Model 3 beats them on most key points — acceleration, efficiency, autonomous-driving tech, cargo space, and more. Some BMW fans, Audi fans, or other conventional car fans may still prefer these other models over the Model 3, but there’s no denying these vehicles compete with each other. See “Tesla Model 3 vs 22 Competitors (The Straight Specs)” for more on this topic.

As many commenters have pointed out (no matter what side of the EV transition they’re on), the Chevy Bolt EV doesn’t compete with premium-class cars in many regards. It’s basically comparable to a Chevy Sonic. The hatchback, FWD version of that car starts at $16,170 MSRP, whereas the Chevy Bolt EV (which is not listed under Chevrolet’s “Cars” category on its website, just under the “Electric” category) starts at $36,495 MSRP. Above is the Chevy Bolt. Below is the Chevy Sonic.

Aside from competition with gas cars available at a certain price point, the other item of distinction in Tesla’s statement was “mass market.” If GM sells 30,000 or so Bolts a year, is that a “mass market” car? Tesla Model 3 production is not rolling at full speed right now (as we know too well), but expected annual production is in the hundreds of thousands, at least. (Note: Bolt US sales in the first two months of the year were 2,601 combined. Extrapolating for the full year would almost certainly underestimate actual sales, but just as a note, that figure would be 15,606. Even doubling it puts Bolt sales just over 30,000.)

The figures the Bolt are set to achieve could be considered mass market if you’re pretty broad with the term, but if you want to get a bit more aggressive about what mass market means, the Bolt doesn’t look like it qualifies. And, by the way, the Model S obviously competes very well in its class (it’s #1 in the class) and sees approximately 25,000–30,000 sales a year in the US, so Tesla’s statement about the Model 3 wouldn’t make sense if it was talking about cars that see the kinds of volumes that the Bolt and Model S see.

Now, I could have ignored that line. Or we could just see it as a slight swipe at GM and the Chevy Bolt. But I think there’s a much bigger point here. The point is that Tesla is able to sell mass-market cars that compete with top cars in their class even if you sort of ignore electric drivetrain benefits (note: that’s assuming Tesla gets mass production rolling and starts delivering the $35,000 version Model 3, not just the $44,000+ version).

Does the corporate differentiator only concern desire to sell — efforts to sell — electric cars in high volumes? Maybe. But a complementary and fundamental problem seems to be that GM and others still haven’t figured out how to create a competitive electric car that makes them money. A GM exec recently indicated that they hope to sell electric cars that make the company money in a few years. Yikes. So, a $36,495 electric version of the Chevy Sonic still loses the company money? Even assuming there isn’t a production bottleneck, no wonder GM isn’t shipping more Bolts to high-demand areas with long waiting lists (South Korea, Canada, and Europe, for example).

Some people might be inclined to step in here and say that Tesla isn’t profitable so is also losing money on the Model 3. That’s disingenuous and those people know it, or they have hugely inflated expectations of the cost of Tesla batteries and other components. It also assumes CEO Elon Musk is lying to shareholders, which is a crime. Tesla isn’t profitable because it is pumping money as quickly as it can into growing the company — new products, new factories, more sales channels, more service and charging centers, etc. If Tesla wanted to sit back and stop growing, it could start making a profit fairly easily. But it wants to grow, and quickly, and its shareholders want the same from it.

So, in summary, that one line in Tesla’s shareholder letter is a simple comment, but it implies a few much deeper points. It highlights that the Model 3 is set to be the first mass market electric vehicle that can outcompete comparable gasmobiles. That means, in part, that Tesla is doing a better job at designing and manufacturing electric cars in a cost-effective and compelling way — while expanding its critical Supercharging network. Combined with comments from large automaker executives about the costs of producing electric cars, all of that also implies Tesla will continue to grow its leading position in the electric vehicle market for at least the coming few years — until these other automakers are producing mass market electric cars that strongly compete in their classes according to people who don’t care about these notable electric benefits.

I recently heard from a former GM exec that he expects the electric + hybrid market in the US to remain quite small. He doesn’t expect there is actually that much demand on the market for the Model 3, even before you het to his skepticism about Tesla’s ability to build it at the fast pace targeted. Furthermore, he indicated that large automakers don’t want to produce and sell very many electric cars because they lose money on them. If you’ve got companies that feel like they can’t make money on a product and don’t really want to sell it in high volumes yet, and then you’ve got a company that can make money on the same type of product and does want to sell it in high volumes, what do you think is going to happen in that market?

This year’s Geneva Auto Show is shaping up to be a blockbuster event, with a whole slate of supercars, ultra-fast racers, and bold concepts for us to feast on. Moreover, this is going to be the European auto industry’s chance to shine, with major electric cars coming from Jaguar, Audi, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz.

It’s a sign that the European automakers are beginning to take Tesla more seriously, especially after wrestling with the fact that the Model S outsold both the Mercedes-Benz S class and BMW 7 series on the continent for the first time last year. Countries all over the world are considering banning fossil-fuel burning vehicles, which is also helping encourage a faster pivot to lithium-ion batteries. And if Tesla can overcome the hitches in its Model 3 production, analysts predict that legacy automakers will have even more to fear.

There will also be the usual lineup of luxury sport cars, hypercars, racing prototypes, and speed demons that typically make their way to Geneva each year. “Well-heeled clientele come to the show and actually buy high end cars, which is rarity at auto shows,” said Matt DeLorenzo from Kelley’s Blue Book. “I’d say Geneva is the pre-eminent show of its type.”

The Verge’s Vlad Savov will be on the ground in Geneva covering all the exciting reveals, but here’s a preview of some of the autos we’re psyched to see.

AUDI E-TRON

Audi first introduced the all-electric E-tron Sportback in Shanghai last year. And while the car won’t be on the showroom floor — Audi is focusing instead on the new A6 sedan — the German automaker is planning on making the E-tron available on show grounds for a few test rides. Last year, Audi said the E-tron would have a 95 kWh battery pack to enable just over 310 miles of range per charge. It’ll be interesting to see if those specs hold up. This is the first dedicated EV from VW Group and will be a harbinger of how well the company can transition from diesel to electric.

BENTLEY BENTAYGA

The Bentley Bentayga plug-in hybrid will be the luxury automaker’s first electrified car. The Bentayga is already one of the fastest SUVs around, so it will be interesting to see what happens to the car’s horsepower when Bentley pairs its V6 engine with an electric battery pack. We’re told to expect something along the lines of the Porsche Panamera E-hybrid, which packs 462 horsepower under the hood.

BMW Z4 AND X4

Vlad Savov

BMW and Toyota have been cooperating on sports car development since 2012, and this year at Geneva we’ll get to see two of the results of that partnership: Toyota’s new Supra, and the next-generation BMW Z4. The only big change expected on BMW’s end is the swapping of a cloth top for the foldable hardtop found in the current Z4. Otherwise this BMW model is expected to debut with the standard array of powertrain options. The automaker will also be unveiling its X4 coup-style crossover.

HONDA CR-V

Honda is expected to unveil the all-new CR-V with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, and analysts say it should arrive in North America by the end of the year. It’s another step in Honda’s plan to add electrified variants of all models in its lineup. Given the popularity of the CR-V, this one is particularly important for the US market and could potentially give Honda some serious volume here.

HYUNDAI KONA ELECTRIC

We know almost everything about the Hyunda Kona Electric SUV. There will be a short and a long range version that last 186 and 292 miles, respectively. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will come standard, as will Qi wireless charging. What we don’t know is how much the Kona EV will cost. It looks like the long range model could be a solid EV competitor to the Chevy Bolt, and maybe even steal a few of Tesla’s sales while Europe waits for the Model 3. But that’s all dependent on whether the price is right.

JAGUAR I-PACE

Photos: Jaguar

One of the clearest competitors to Tesla’s Model X is the newly-unveiled I-Pace. It’s as sharp an EV as we’ve seen, and as we learned last week, it’s a touch quicker off the line than Tesla’s entry level Model X 75D. The car should hold its own when it comes to range, too, with a battery pack that lasts around 240 miles. The I-Pace also has a lush interior that exudes the premium look that we’re used to with Jaguar, too. We’ll finally learn how much this is all going to cost at Geneva, and we’ll likely get to know a few more things about the company’s first all-electric car as well. But price might not be as sensitive an issue with the I-Pace as it is with something like the Hyundai Kona Electric. As long as the I-Pace isn’t outrageously expensive, its popularity is going to be all about how much fun it is to drive, and to own.

MCLAREN SENNA

McLaren claims its 738-horsepower Senna is the most powerful road-legal track to date. And just by looking at it you can feel your eyelids start to peel away. Named after the famed Brazilian Formula One champion Ayrton Senna, who died in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix, this mid-engine coupe is powered by a twin-turbocharged V8 engine. The car was unveiled late last year, but this will be the first time the public will get a real good look at it — which is a shame because the entire 500-car run is already sold out.

MERCEDES-AMG GT (PLUS MYSTERY EV)

Vlad Savov

Mercedes showed off the concept version of its AMG GT coupe last year, and is back again with the production version. Despite having coupe in its name, it has four doors, as well as 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8 engine with 604 horsepower. As the first dedicated AMG model with four doors and seats and probably a hybrid powertrain, this one signals a new direction for the performance brand. We’re also expecting an AMG variant of the G-class wagon that debuted in Detroit earlier this year. Mercedes is also expected to unveil its first series-production electric car, although the German auto giant is keeping a tight lids on details. The expectation is that it will provide insight into Mercedes’ EQ sub-brand, and could be a Tesla Model X rival based on the Generation EQ concept revealed at the Paris Auto Show in 2016.

RIMAC CONCEPT

If electric supercars are your thing, might we suggest heading over to Rimac’s booth to feast your eyes on its latest concept. The Croatian automaker won a lot of fans with its Concept_One back in 2012. But since then we’ve seen other electric supercars, like Nio’s EP9 and the new Tesla Roadster with its unbelievable sounding range and performance. Not much is known about Rimac’s new car, but if it’s anything like the Concept_One — which packs a 4-motor electric powertrain, 1,088 horsepower, 0-60 mph acceleration in 2.5 seconds, and a top speed of 220 mph — it’s sure to turn a few heads.

TOYOTA SUPRA

The Geneva show floor is going to be littered with electric and autonomous cars and concepts that are all about the capital-f Future. One of the lone, shining lights of the 20th century-style performance (read: internal combustion) will be the new Toyota Supra. The update to the legendary sports car is being made in conjunction with BMW, and it’s been spotted just about everywhere from city streets to the Nürburgring. This is a car that people have literally been waiting decades for, which means that no matter what we wind up seeing in Geneva, it’s likely to disappoint someone.

VOLVO V60 & POLESTAR 1

Polestar

Volvo created the Polestar brand to show off how performance and electrification will work together in the future. The Polestar 1, shown last year at the Shanghai auto show, will go on sale in mid-2019 as a limited production sports coupe that will be the first of three new cars dedicated to Volvo’s new performance division. The Swedish automaker will also have its gorgeous V60 wagon in Geneva, and as Navigant senior analyst Sam Abuelsamid aptly noted, anyone who writes about cars and transportation for a living is contractually obliged to cheer on all new station wagons.

VW I.D. VIZZION

The fourth car in Volkswagen’s futuristic lineup of concept cars is the least like an actual car, in that it won’t have pedals or a steering wheel. Instead of preying on nostalgia (with the I.D. Buzz) or taking a first crack at designing a futuristic, fully-electric SUVs (the I.D. Crozz) or compacts (the original I.D.), the I.D. Vizzion is meant to show off what VW thinks a completely self-driving car might look like in 2030. We know it will be electric, and that the interior will be different (but not radically) from what we’re used to when it comes to cars, since there is no dedicated spot for a “driver.” But everything else is still a mystery.