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US power company PacifiCorp has released plans to deploy 2,800MW of battery storage to cope with increases in its renewable energy penetration as it looks to close 20 coal power stations by 2038

Nearly 600MW of battery storage will be deployed by 2025 with the remaining capacity set to be installed by 2038 as the Oregon firm plans to close all but four of its coal-fired power station. 

US solar firm Nexamp is joining the battery energy storage system industry with deployment of 51MW of capacity across six sites in New York and Massachusetts.

It is the first time the company has deployed energy storage projects after it was awarded 40% of the capacity in the first block of the NY-Sun program— a component of the state’s Governor Andrew Cuomo’s ‘Reforming the Energy Vision’. 

US firm Microporous has hired Brad Reed as director of corporate development to oversee growth in new products and markets for its lead-acid battery separators.

Reed has experience with microporous membranes, including executive vice president and general manager of lithium-ion battery separators firm Celgard, a subsidiary of Polypore International.

In his new role, Reed will be accountable for identifying, developing and coordinating, new markets, new applications, possibly new products, M&A opportunities or joint venture growth opportunities for Microporous.  

A company spokesman told BEST Battery Briefing: “The role is focused on the development and implementation of strategic growth initiatives and projects critical to corporate success.”

European battery maker InoBat and US materials firm Wildcat Discovery Technologies have signed a deal that paves the way for a 100MWh battery production line to be built in Slovakia.

Construction on the €100 million (US$111m) plant in the Danube Valley is expected to begin in the first half of next year, with the first batteries ready for distribution around 18 months later.