Leclanché is to supply 500kWh of lithium titanate (LTO) batteries to store electricity at a 2MW solar PV park in Switzerland from next year.
The Swiss firm’s batteries form part of a 2m Swiss franc ($2.2m) research project led by the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) to study storing solar energy and subsequently be able to distribute it in an optimal way at times of peak consumption during the day, often called ‘time-shifting’.
EPFL’s 2MW solar park was built in partnership with Romande Energie, a Swiss power distribution firm, which is participating in the research project. Funding for the project was allocated by the Canton of Vaud as part of its 100m Swiss francs renewable energy and energy efficiency programme.
EPFL’s project leader Professor Mario Paolone told BEST Leclanché’s batteries would be connected to the campus’ medium voltage grid in January/February 2015.
About the size of a shipping container, the Leclanché storage device will be equipped with the French firm’s high performance LTO batteries, which it claims have a lifetime of 15,000 charge-discharge cycles, compared to 3,000 for other lithium-ion chemistries. The cells feature a ceramic separator patented by Leclanché.
The research project is scheduled to run for 23 months.
LTO cells are modified lithium-ion cells that use lithium-titanate nanocrystals on the surface of the anode instead of graphite. This dramatically increases the surface area of the anode, allowing for fast recharging.