23 February 2010
Axion Power International, Inc., the developer of advanced lead-carbon PbC® batteries, today announced that it has been awarded a grant from the State of Pennsylvania to develop a renewable solar energy storage system based on its proprietary PbC (TM) PowerCube battery technology.
The $300,000 grant from the Solar Energy Program of Pennsylvania's Commonwealth Financing Authority will be used to demonstrate the advanced energy storage technology of PbC batteries within a "Smart Grid" system where power is generated from renewable energy sources such as the sun or wind, stored during slower, overnight periods and then delivered to the grid during times of peak demand.
"Energy storage is a key component in the operation of a Smart Grid system and a perfect vehicle to demonstrate the value of our PbC battery products," said Axion Chief Executive Officer Thomas Granville. "In order to best leverage the value of renewable energy sources like the sun and wind, the energy gained during high generation periods must be stored in batteries like ours and then discharged during periods of high demand, or peak load. Our PbC batteries, which cycle longer and are capable of recharging both more rapidly and with greater charge acceptance when compared with other advanced lead acid batteries, will be commercialized for these very storage applications."
In the Pennsylvania state-funded project, the Axion PbC batteries will be coupled with a UPS power conditioner provided by Eaton Corporation, and a solar panel-to-electric conversion system, as well as an electric vehicle charging station, provided by Envision Solar.
The Axion grant was the only storage project approved as part of the state's Solar Energy Program. The other 12 approved projects were for solar generating systems.
