http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5161/?cid=3

Japanese electronics manufacturer Panasonic says it is starting production of lithium-ion battery packs for home energy storage this month.

The energy storage system consists of Panasonic's 1.35 kWh capacity lithium-ion battery with a battery management system to allow charging and discharging as needed.

The system could store excess energy from home solar photovoltaic panels, for example, to provide power when needed or after dark when the panels are no longer producing electricity.

"In Germany, there is a concern that the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, into the power grid could cause instability in power distribution because of their unpredictable nature," says Fumitoshi Terashima, director of Panasonic's smart energy systems business unit.

The system uses a high-voltage, high-capacity lithium-ion battery specially designed for energy storage, which can withstand over 5000 charging/discharging cycles for long-term operation.

Energy storage is a key issue for the realisation of renewable energy on a major scale to manage intermittency and the implications for the grid.