Prudent Energy \u0026 amp; Meeting to: storage hutch? Hohhot west car in the bus bumps over three hours later, I came to the town of Baotou DAMAOQI called Bailingmiao of. In fact, the town is a door through which I entered a world of wind power. From small town to a destination - Bayan Longyuan Wind Farm also one hour's drive away. Tall slim fan became the ruler on the plains. Tens of kilometers of the trip, which makes it easy to think of the great figure of Don Quixote leave around almost no windows. Here is Inner Mongolia, is one of China's most high-quality wind power base.
Bayan 200,000 kilowatts wind farm on one of them. As one of the largest single wind farm in Inner Mongolia is now to achieve the grid, the Bayan hold special status of the national franchise program, because of the identity of his fellow neighbors have the amount of power envy unconditional full access to the Internet 'privilege.' Inner Mongolia, speaking in a thick accent, '80' CHIN is already an old wind power, and then from Yumen to Bayannao'er Baotou, he technician doing to deputy director, also experienced the China Wind Power 'Great Leap Forward' of gold years. 'I know you said foam means, in fact the core of the problem is difficult and network.' Just tell half the problem, he took over the topic. 'Other field specific situation I do not know, next to these neighbors I know some.' Neighboring farms Bayan three large wind farms Luneng, Goldwind Huaneng and development, while the more distant neighbors. CHIN told me that one of the construction of 300,000 kilowatts of electric field only got 50,000 kilowatts of grid access permission, another 250,000 kilowatts of installed capacity have yet to find a way out. Such a situation is not a problem, CHIN several neighbors and even to make their own power grid company to raise several hundred million dollars to build a joint substation, the grid does not spend a penny, just to be able and network access, but that 'subsidizing' The proposal did not win the other positive response. 'It is really difficult to access.' CHIN said. This is a typical corner has. According to data released by the Global Wind Energy Council, China's wind power in 2008 to achieve a 10 million kilowatts of installed capacity, for four consecutive years to double by 2010 is expected to reach 30 million megawatts, 10 years earlier had planned to complete the country's wind power development goals. Under such enthusiasm, land wind farms in Inner Mongolia have been doubling itself than in 2006. While another set of figures has formed a great contrast, as of this year, there are about 5 million kilowatts of wind turbines not achieved grid, idle assets worth 500 million yuan. Inner Mongolia Electric Power Association and the data shows that the proportion of wind power in the autonomous region of idle in third. Can not be connected to the grid, the electricity companies means idle and waste huge investment. The waste much CHIN give me calculations:? Northern winter, due to the thermal power and heating negative with security responsibilities, so in the evening low power, wind power grid can only be stopped.
A 200,000 kilowatts of wind farms in 11 hours in the night or even may only be allowed access to 5000 kilowatts, then wasted electricity is 2.145 million degrees, according to Inner Mongolia 0.51 yuan per kilowatt wind power tariff calculation, the power company night loss is 100 million. Large storage for wind power in this 'new energy paradox,' the clamor come under the spotlight. In firepower and hydro-dominated era, can not be written into the storing electrical energy textbooks become the basic premise grid design. But the golden rule was dispersed by the wind. The reason is simple, sometimes no wind, the electricity generated by the wind of course, will from time to time. As the proportion of wind power in the grid growing proportion of wind power has become increasingly unstable characteristics seriously impact the overall safety of the grid. Denmark massive power outage for 18 hours because of wind caused the accident had occurred. In Inner Mongolia, last year, it has 500,000 kilowatts of wind power outage caused the accident happened. 'Last year, people did not pay attention to this matter, we have invested to Cape eight months later, this year, has suddenly cosplay costumes for sale become the hottest topic of energy storage.' Vice President of Draper Fisher Jurvetson Yancy said that two years ago they began to layout stored in the global to invest, 'This is a trillion market. It will be the addition to the existing generation, transmission, substation, distribution links grow out of four power a new industry.' Almost overnight, a variety of new Energy Storage Forum on Energy Investment of the population has become an essential topic. In the US, only the first quarter of this year, venture capital poured into the storage market reached $ 180 million. In Japan, the industry leader NGK company only orders for the first half of this year reached 600 megawatts, more than the sum of the past 10 years. This seems to indicate the arrival of an industry critical point of the outbreak. In China, there are two companies carrying the people's expectations. Their names sound like a pair of brothers: Prudent Energy Technology and the Department of Science and Technology. Indeed between them they have deep roots, but now they each took a different path of industrialization. . 'This is a produce industry next Shi' founder Prudent Technologies Yu Zhenhua excited to say, then that person would be his right or his former partner, now rival Wu Zhengyu Prudent:?? Reliability first After a 'first interview, that much.' and reporters talked for nearly two and a half hours, Yu Zhenhua said with a smile. He gave reporters the use of materials that long ago when the State Department leadership to teach PPT storage use. It is a laughing '70', who have a clear opening of the West. He speaks Chinese, almost all the key words are choosing to use English, including some verbs. Liu Xiang, he's spoken language is 'Yes.' From start to become one of the world's vanadium battery industry's most promising leader, Yu Zhenhua in just three years. The full name of the vanadium battery vanadium redox flow battery whole, it is a metal vanadium oxide reduction based on the principle of operation of renewable chemical battery energy storage system. 'Vanadium battery is so far the only energy and wind energy, photovoltaic products for 20 years of service to match the energy storage.' Yu Zhenhua as 'entrepreneurs' breakdown of the advantages of the vanadium battery energy storage in large scale. In the first row is a long life. Vanadium battery can be charged and discharged many times almost unlimited, without causing attenuation Energy Storage Materials. While other existing chemical battery, the charge and discharge times have a fixed upper limit, such as sodium-sulfur battery is 4500 cycles, the lithium battery industry standard is 2000. In Hokkaido, Japan for the wind farm supporting a vanadium battery project, three years of this energy storage system discharge 270,000 times, it is still operating normally. The second trump card vanadium battery is the battery consistency problem does not exist. We use a cell phone battery is a single cell, general domestic manufacturers can achieve 500 cycles. But the laptop's battery, as it requires more batteries connected in series, for several batteries of consistency is very high, so most of the domestic manufacturers even 50 cycles can not be guaranteed. In large storage in lead-acid and lithium batteries, etc. must break the consistency of the problem, which can often lead to cost increases exponentially. Finally, the vanadium battery unconditional long time to work in extreme natural environments. In the north, the wind farm winter nighttime temperatures of minus three forty degrees is a very normal thing, and built the photovoltaic power plant in the Gobi Desert in the summer will have to stand the heat of the grill. Thus, vanadium battery rugged features very competitive. The basic principles of vanadium battery was born 20 years ago in Australia. Since then Japan's Sumitomo Corporation conducted a first round of "discount tiara " a valid commercial development, but due to technical problems paths, failed to achieve mass production. This gives the company the opportunity VRB Canada, they came from behind to achieve mass production of vanadium battery, and has a 70% vanadium battery technology patents. 'VRB chemical batteries in all the history of the shortest, but the fastest progress.' Yu Zhenhua said. VRB of legitimate research breakthrough, when it does not know of a Chinese youth will begin their road vanadium battery in 2006, and three years later became its new owner. Yu Zhenhua Tsinghua Science Park is the first batch of students entrepreneurs. Graduated from Tsinghua University in 1999, he joined the V2 technology start-up team. In 2003, the V2 did the first one, Yu Zhenhua choose China videoconferencing market exit at this time, to learn American business leadership programs, while looking for 'revolutionary business innovation.' Eventually locked the vanadium battery.
Yu Zhenhua optimistic about the future application of this technology in new energy storage in, and he saw VRB company's products, though expensive, but still losing money, the key issue is peripheral products price is too high. Yu Zhenhua believe that the next key to the development of vanadium battery is to reduce costs, and this is precisely China good things. In 2006, general energy technology incorporated in New York, angel investors are Jason Jiang. But the company quickly Yu Zhenhua back home. It is an established policy, because, first domestic manufacturing costs low; China is the world's second richest country of vanadium; the third is because at that time most of VRB and Sumitomo registered vanadium battery core patents are not covered by China, so you can avoid a lot of the intellectual property barriers. Yu Zhenhua one of the most favorable conditions, the basic principles of patent vanadium battery has just expired open, which is capable of independent research and development general opened the first road barriers. The initial general can set up to mainly core team of national experts. Prior to the acquisition of VRB early 2009, they made their own second-generation 10 kilowatts systems, energy efficiency 10% higher than the VRB, costs one-third less than VRB. 'But now look, the large-scale commercial systems as well as five years of distance from.' At that time the S \u0026 P to give their own market positioning is used on the one hand to do some small islands off the network storage system development, on the other hand, hope Future can self-developed low-cost parts and raw materials sold VRB and leading companies such as Sumitomo. This time, though general can get DFJ and DT's investment, but cosplay black butler did not get the core technology breakthrough. But almost overnight turnaround occurred.年底 2008, VRB due to the overly aggressive expansion strategy, resulting in funding strand breaks, and in the most serious financial crisis, when it can not find an effective means of financing, had to declare bankruptcy. Pu can be submitted for the first time acquisition applications. 12 competitors in the world in general will eventually win, the entire acquisition cost of $ 2,150,000. A year ago, Yu Zhenhua and his colleagues have done also estimate that if given the opportunity, within the $ 30 million acquisition of VRB is valuable. The ultimate dream come true price is only one-tenth less than even. Completion of the acquisition of VRB so general can have a night all the mass production of vanadium battery core technology, with the world's best research and development team and global customer resources, global engineering experience. 'Our next focus is to ensure the reliability of the product on the basis of efforts to reduce costs, this is a very difficult thing.' Yu Zhenhua said. In the current storage market structure, Japan's NGK is the undeniable leader. Their sodium sulfur battery technology after 20 years of research and polished, commercialization is relatively mature. They are now the only system capable of providing 10 megawatts or more suppliers. Meanwhile NGK equipment offer $ 600 per kilowatt-hour has become the industry standard price. According to Yu Zhenhua introduction, if the storage system cost less than $ 500 can do per kWh, the industry will have an irresistible allure.
But now visible mature chemical energy storage systems, NGK has a cost leader, and the cost is even higher than the general can NGK. 'We are now only in accordance with their standard offer, of course, does not make money.' Yu Zhenhua admitted. However, compared with lead-acid and lithium, vanadium battery has Prudent is the closest sodium-sulfur battery products. 'Cost is the core issue of the future.' Yu Zhenhua repeatedly emphasized. But apparently he also valued the reliability of the product. 99% reliability is general commitment to give customers. At the end of the upcoming new products, in order to guarantee reliability, the S \u0026 P energy storage efficiency can from the lab to the 89 percent initiative to reduce up to 75%. 'This electrochemical products, there is a component material to do a little fine-tuning, is out of the two products. To achieve the overall 99% reliability, the reliability of each component will have to reach 99.9 ‰.' 'Early and reliable industry property must be the most crucial, of course, cost is the bottleneck. But early industrial buyers have the ability to pay for the cost. 'Yu investors pay more attention to Yancy apparently the same performance. As an important step to reduce costs, in 2009, Yu Zhenhua took nearly a year to VRB of all manufacturing sectors have moved to the country. But in the alternative with domestic supporting business internationally renowned existing supporting business, he maintained a cautious attitude. Or to the reliability of priority, after all, now that they have become the international influence of the leading companies. Yu Zhenhua plays the role of industry lobbyists. His frequent contact with the national decision-making, efforts to promote and influence the formulation of industrial policy, and hope that through this path can make general occupies a special place in the future of the industry pattern. Money thing, Yu Zhenhua also has a plan in mind. Prudent orders for next year has been basically established, the annual production capacity of 3 MW to achieve $ 15 million in sales, while sales Cape this year can only several hundred thousand dollars. By 2012, the general can achieve $ 100 million in sales, accounting for 1% of the market share, Yu Zhenhua think at that time he will have to challenge the strength of the sodium-sulfur battery. The breakeven point Well, probably will appear in the production capacity of 10 megawatts, when sales reached $ 50 million or so. Meeting to: Cost of the first Wu Zhengyu not go to his company, his home in Beijing, and the Department of Energy has security headquarters in Changchun, the distance between them is EMU five hours' drive away. A Department of Energy employee told me that he only met once or twice a month, his boss. And 吴正宇 interviews about Dong Si ring in a cafe near the window is the district where his family. Although it was Sunday, a few hours later he also flew to Shenzhen to meet with a large power company CEOs. Yu Zhenhua Wu Zhengyu seldom as analysis of the global industry structure and competition, surging eloquence he used to illustrate how market demand is huge, of course, more people are horrified Meeting to product cost advantage. He and his amazing product have not validated the market, success is also just stay in his business plan, but if that naive as he said very soon, he will necessarily be disruptive damage the industry By. Department of energy and general energy, Wu Zhengyu and Yu Zhenhua, has fantastic origin. Wu Zhengyu this from personal experience talking. After graduating from the United States to study, to work at IBM headquarters 吴正宇 six years, Chibi City, Hubei Province after the mayor's assistant, saw an opportunity to stored energy in the process, to join the Cape capable executive team in April 2007. Prudent was developing vanadium battery, it is also another research chemical batteries is also original international patent expirations - zinc-bromine battery. And vanadium battery is different from general can expect this technology to the hotel to go electricity load shifting. By the end of 2007, S \u0026 P energy ready to start financing. To make maximize financing, Yu Zhenhua and zinc-bromine battery 吴正宇 decided to set up a separate team separated, independent financing, and the new company's leadership is 吴正宇. February 2008, the Department can set up the same year, the introduction of Tsing Capital, Intel and BP's $ 10 million investment. Zinc-bromine battery is a form similar to the vanadium battery, but the reaction is completely different principles of chemical batteries, Yu Zhenhua called 'semi-flow cell.' Advantages of zinc-bromine battery wherein zinc bromide electrolyte cheap price, but the battery energy density, small footprint. The disadvantage is a limited service life is required for each deep charge deep discharge, inflexible, while the ability to cope with extreme weather is poor. 'From a performance point of view, better vanadium battery, zinc-bromine no advantage, but our advantage in terms of cost.' Meng Lin, chief engineer of the Department of Science and Technology 'Entrepreneur' said. Meeting to hit the market just when secession is still the hotel load shifting, but in early 2009, Wu Zhengyu opportunity to see the outbreak of large-scale energy storage market, 'the hotel market to solve the economic problem, and solve the new energy market the urgency of the problem. 'Then he killed a' Parthian shot. ' Low is the trump card in the hands of Wu Zhengyu. NGK dominate internationally accepted pricing is $ 600 per kilowatt-hour, while the Department of energy announced that the price is the sixth of its $ 100 per kilowatt-hour! 'This is the selling price, I have profit.' Wu said. 'Cost is the customers most concerned about.' Wu Zhengyu stressed that 'in the initial period of this industry, reliability is a secondary issue, the most important low-cost solution to the customer's urgent needs.' Subversive price determined 吴正宇 access to large storage Can manner must be accompanied by questions and controversy. 'His technique is a laboratory product, I'm sure he can not make their own 10-year claims costs in mass production.'
An industry source said with disdain. 'It was out of this price, I'll get it right out.' Wu responded by saying, 'A lot of people have foreign backgrounds, they see China manufacturing prowess on cost reduction.' Zinc-bromine battery is part of the history of the Department of Energy lower historical cost. 'Starting deducted from the cost of every detail, buckle up more than 30 months.' 吴正宇 he said. In the US, the two companies is a professional zinc-bromine battery manufacturer. Because of their parts are all purchased from well-known large companies, it has been in the $ 1,000 cost per kilowatt-hour high. The Department of independent research and development from the outset, all the core materials and components, which greatly reduces the cost of the product. There are two cases allow exchange can be proud. One is the key component - the diaphragm. This membrane imported from Japan for a $ 50 one square meter, but the exchange can do out of their own product costs less than $ 1. Another is the valve, to a $ 400 foreign products, and life is very short, and the exchange can do out of the cost is less than 300 yuan, but the life expectancy is 10 times the foreign products. These are just two typical examples, 孟琳 told reporters on almost all the important aspects of electrode plates, electrolyte, etc. Meeting to have achieved a breakthrough in cost. 'More than 30 months, finally made the first prototype, doing really hard.' Wu Zhengyu emotion. The Department can not be located in the city of Changchun Automobile Company headquarters, I saw the cost of creating this miracle plant. Not too much of the plant was relatively empty in the fall, few workers, the device is not much. 9:00 and more, the machines are not yet open, 孟琳 that they are receiving routine maintenance. Exchange membrane can be most proud of the production line has just recently realized the streamlined operations, and the electrode plate production line is also required in all aspects of doing the series. Here it is more like a big laboratory, rather than mass production workshop. Wu Zhengyu endorsed my views: 'There is our laboratory, as mass production we are looking for a new site recently.' Now the basic technical problems have been solved, the production is a problem on your device. And Yancy difficult to agree 吴正宇 saying:. 'From the laboratory to production that is a very difficult process, the vanadium battery research and development has now been 20 years, the total investment over 300 million US dollars, how could he direct on mass production ? 'But 吴正宇 opinion, he grabbed the cost of industry is not without logic, in China's new energy industry have entered rely on state subsidies to survive after model, with some officials saying the Inner Mongolia Development and Reform Commission:' is destined to become a low-profit industry. 'Storage costs are too high will inevitably hamper customer's purchase. Wu Zhengyu want their products only to customers increased by 10% of the cost, and customers in the absence of subsidies for energy storage requires only 3-4 years payback. 'I contacted a number of power companies, they heard about our products, are themselves.' 吴正宇 do not want the media to disclose the company's name, but in the interview process, he received a well-known solar companies about talking on the phone. For the exchange can, now the most important task is to complete a photovoltaic plant in Hubei 3 MW energy storage demonstration projects supporting soon as possible. This project, if successful, Wu Zhengyu opinion, is superimposed on larger projects more stack problem. And Yu Zhenhua compared to Wu Zhengyu earn greater confidence. He said the Department of energy over the next five years to achieve sales volume of 30 billion yuan, 'This figure is very solid.' Who is the winner reliability priority? Or cost priority? The answer to this question should be market. But there is a mystery waiting for an answer, and that is the country's industrial policy. 'For the storage industry, there is no state subsidies are unlikely to survive, and now the most pressing issue is the state subsidies in the end where the knife cut.' Qiming Venture Partners Cleantech Zhang Yong waving his right hand, as if he The hand that is the policy of the razor, 'is to cut subsidies to the grid, or cut to the power company. It is not clear who is the storage of the owners would not be clear, then the development of the industry will not be clear. 'Yu Zhenhua is also thinking about this problem, his view is more reasonable cut power companies, because of the latter, storage equals money, and therefore more powerful. But the national grid did not give up, even in the enthusiasm, which recently launched the nation's first comprehensive scenery storage demonstration project in Zhangbei of Hebei province, where 75 megawatts of energy storage. Guodian This action certainly be seen as an important industry is good, but it also seems to imply that the grid prevailed in the game. Although how fill, make up the number who supply these important policy issues are still no clear answers, grid and power companies who are the winners also not yet clear, but for Yu Zhenhua and 吴正宇, it is now the main theme of favorable policies. At the end of the upcoming 'new energy industry planning', has been included in the key storage industry has been supported by a virtual certainty, and is said to also be supporting a specific target, the larger 10-year industrial plan. An impending huge market, an emerging industrial countries concern being, of course, not only the general energy and energy sinks two players. NGK has begun distribution of the Chinese market, the US lithium battery company A123 to star production plant located in Changzhou, in China, BYD started working on cutting a piece of cake.