Meeting the challenge of storing green energy

For years, the stumbling block for making renewable energy practical and dependable has been how to store electricity when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. But with new technologies, this goal is now within reach.

Gildemeister Energy Solutions (a DMG company) has developed the CellCube, a powerful, durable and low-maintenance vanadium redox flow large-scale storage solution, following many years of research. The energy store allows independent and flexible utilisation of the electricity generated by solar power plants and wind turbines, thus serving as an uninterrupted power supply - even in the dark and when there is no wind.

“The battery system ensures a clean, emission-free and fast energy supply at all times,” said Nash Dhruve, Finance Controller at DMG/Mori Seiki. “The system is very reliable and allows stable storage and very fast reaction times. The CellCube can be incorporated into everyday energy systems, which makes it suitable for remote operations in Australia, who need to be - or want to be - independent of local council grids.”

CellCube is suitable for small businesses, SMEs and large corporations in the mining industry, or as a reliable energy storage and supply for telecommunication networks in regions without a grid or with unstable grids.

Dhruve added that now was the time to invest in renewable energy, as the government is supporting companies with an $800,000 grant.

“Every dollar spent by companies is matched by the government, which makes the CellCube system very affordable with a payback period of only three to four years,” he said. “Considering the product comes with a lifelong warranty, the return on investment is very attractive!”

The federal government is providing a range of assistance measures to small businesses as a part of its Clean Energy Future program. The Clean Energy Technology Program provides grants for businesses and manufacturers to invest in energy-efficiency initiatives. DMG/Mori Seiki invites all companies interested in the grant and how it works to contact the team, who are happy to help and assist with all necessary information and paperwork.

“We want to create partnerships with our customers and help them apply for the government grant, which can be a very complicated procedure,” said Dhruve. “We don’t only sell a product, but provide total solutions. We know that applying for government assistance is a really complex process, so we take the paperwork off our customers who decide to invest in renewable energy solutions such as the CellCube.”