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The Storage Futures Study (SFS) was launched in 2020 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Storage Grand Challenge. The study explores how energy storage technology advancement could impact the deployment of utility-scale storage and adoption of distributed storage, as well as future power system infrastructure investment and operations.

There is economic potential for up to 490 gigawatts per hour of behind-the-meter battery storage in the United States by 2050 in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, or 300 times today’s installed capacity. But only a small fraction could be adopted by customers, according to the latest phase of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL’s) Storage Futures Study.

“By implementing new battery capabilities in our model, we were able to do scenario comparison that revealed battery cost and the value of backup power are important drivers of distributed storage deployment,” said Ashreeta Prasanna, lead author of the NREL technical report, Distributed Solar and Storage Outlook: Methodology and Scenarios.

The study provides one of the first published estimates of distributed battery storage deployment. The NREL team of analysts — also including Kevin McCabe, Ben Sigrin, and Nate Blair — modeled customer adoption of battery storage systems coupled with solar photovoltaics (PV) in the United States out to 2050 under several scenarios. The results can help inform planning for technical grid infrastructure to capture the benefits and mitigate the challenges of growing distributed electricity generation.

PV-Plus-Battery Scenarios

The Rise of Behind-the-Meter Battery Storage

A widespread transition to distributed energy resources (DERs) is taking place. Households and businesses around the world are adopting DERs to lower their energy bills and curb carbon emissions. Local policymakers have set ambitious energy and climate goals; grid resiliency is a growing concern due to climate change and weather disasters; and more communities face high energy burdens.

In addition, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 2222 enables DERs to participate alongside traditional energy resources in regional organized wholesale markets.

All these factors have contributed to a rise in DER deployment, including batteries. With declining battery storage costs, customers are starting to pair batteries with distributed solar. Behind-the-meter battery capacity totaled almost 1 gigawatt in the United States by the end of 2020, according to Wood Mackenzie.

While DERs offer many benefits to customers and the grid, like peak load shifting, integrating these resources into the power system presents complex challenges for electric utilities. “The transmission system wasn’t designed with distributed generation in mind,” said Ben Sigrin, coauthor of the report. “Projected DER adoption potential can provide a window into distributed generation and help inform future power system planning.”

Bottom-up Modeling for Bottom-up Generation

NREL’s open-source Distributed Generation Market Demand (dGen) model simulates customer adoption of distributed solar, wind, and storage using a bottom-up, agent-based approach and spatially resolved data (watch a Super Mario Bros.-inspired video to learn more).

For this phase of the Storage Futures Study, the model was modified to simulate the technical, economic, and market potential of behind-the-meter battery storage.

dGen interoperated with NREL’s System Advisor Model (SAM), which simulates the performance and efficiency of energy technologies, including cash flow analysis to calculate payback periods — an important consideration in a customer’s decision to adopt a technology.

By interfacing with SAM, dGen modeled the cost-effectiveness and customer adoption of PV-plus-battery storage systems for residential, commercial, and industrial entities in the United States with different technology costs, storage valuation, incentives, and compensation. The resulting upper and lower bounds of adoption revealed what customers consider most in their decisions.

Lower Battery Costs, High Backup-Power Value Drives Deployment

Across all 2050 scenarios, dGen modeled significant economic potential for distributed battery storage coupled with PV. Scenarios assuming modest projected declines in battery costs and lower value of backup power show economic potential for 114 gigawatts of storage capacity — a 90-times increase from today. When battery costs significantly reduce and the value of backup power doubles, the economic potential increases to 245 gigawatts.

However, only 7% of the estimated capacity is adopted by customers. The difference is largely due to the long payback period for distributed PV-plus-battery storage systems, which averages 11 years for the residential sector, 12 years for the commercial sector, and 8 years for the industrial sector in 2030.

“The estimated adoption potential translates to less than 20% of the market potential,” Prasanna said. “Customers are less inclined to invest in a system that takes a long time to be profitable.”

Modeled deployment varies by location based on specific rate structures or incentive programs but is generally driven by battery cost and the value of backup power. Similar trends are seen on the national scale, where lower battery costs and high backup-power value increase deployment.

PV and Batteries Drive Each Other’s Adoption

Several findings in the study demonstrate that PV and batteries make an economical pairing. Because an average PV-plus-battery storage system is larger than PV-only configurations, battery storage increases the PV capacity and the system’s economic value.

About 34%–40% of total annual PV installations projected in 2050 in the reference or baseline scenario are coadopted with batteries. This rate, again, is driven by higher value of backup power and lower technology costs.

Combined cost reductions in both PV and battery storage technologies drive additional adoption compared to cost reductions in just battery technology alone. When costs decrease for both technologies, more customers adopt PV-plus-battery systems, and deployment increases by 106% in 2050.

“The process of developing and implementing the distributed storage technology within dGen revealed additional questions and needed research capabilities related to behind-the-meter battery storage adoption,” Prasanna said. “Additional enhancements of dGen will be needed to explore research questions such as projecting the adoption of community-scale DERs and storage capacity and their impact on the distribution grid, exploration of the tradeoffs between distributed and utility-scale storage, and the role of DERs in supporting the transition to a decarbonized economy.”

Learn More at August 10 Webinar

NREL’s Storage Futures Study team will host a free public webinar on Tuesday, August 10, 2021, from 9 to 10 a.m. MT. You will learn more about the key drivers of customer adoption potential of distributed storage and how the study findings can help inform future power system planning. Register to attend.

Article courtesy of NREL.

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Acura unveils new RSX: reborn as a sleek electric SUV

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Acura unveils new RSX: reborn as a sleek electric SUV

Acura is bringing back the RSX, but you wouldn’t recognize it. It’s now a sporty electric SUV, and a fairly impressive one at that. It’s also the first electric vehicle built on Honda’s new Zero global EV platform.

Honda’s all-electric vehicle offering is quite limited – especially in North America.

It only sells the Prologue and Accura ZDX, which are based on GM’s Equinox EV. In Asia and Europe, the Japanese automaker has more electric models, but its efforts are still very much fragmented.

Now, it is preparing to launch a series of new EVs based on its in-house global EV platform: Zero.

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Today, Acura is unveiling what should become the first vehicle on the platform: the Acura RSX concept.

This is still only a concept, but Acura says that it’s a good preview for the final vehicle that will go into production at Honda’s new EV hub in Ohio during the second half of 2026.

It will be built on the same production line as the Acura Integra, which can get a bit confusing since the name RSX was also used for the Integra in some markets during the original run in the 90s.

But the name is about the only thing that the current Integra and the RSX concept share. You won’t confuse the sporty sedan with this all-electric performance SUV.

Lance Woelfer, vice president of Auto Sales at American Honda Motor Co, commented on the new concept:

“The dramatic styling of our Acura RSX Prototype demonstrates that it’s not just a new EV, but a compelling all-new Acura model. RSX will deliver on nearly four decades of Acura Precision Crafted Performance brand DNA with appealing design and cutting-edge technology.”

Acura took advantage of the freedom given by the new EV platform it’s based on and delivered a vehicle with a sleek yet aggressive design.

Yasutake Tsuchida, Acura Creative Director and vice president of American Honda R&D, said that the design aimed at “excellent aerodynamic” performance:

“The Acura RSX has a sporty coupe style that expresses the performance that comes from excellent aerodynamics. Starting from this all-new RSX we will redefine the Acura brand around timeless beauty and a high-tech feel that is essential for a performance and unique brand.”

For now, the design is the primary information available about the Acura RSX, as the company hasn’t shared specifications yet. I am with Acura at the Monterey Car Week for the next few days, and I’ll do my best to gather more details.

In the meantime, we know that it will be equipped with a potent dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain, sport-tuned double wishbone front suspension, a low center-of-gravity and Brembo brakes, and Acura is talking about all this being standard in the new RSX.

Acura is also talking about having “the brand’s top-of-class driver assistive technologies.”

The RSX is also set to be the first vehicle equipped with Honda’s new ASIMO operating system.

Acura said about ASIMO:

With the ability to run various applications on the Acura RSX, similar to operating systems found on smartphones, ASIMO OS will offer a personalized experience that will enhance the joy of driving and the ownership experience. ASIMO OS will utilize OTA updates to bring new customizable features and services to the RSX to enhance the ownership experience.

It will also have machine learning capabilities, enabling it to learn about how you like to use your car and personalize to your specifications.

Last but not least, Acura has already confirmed that the RSX will be capable of bi-directional charging. The details are not available yet, but the automaker is talking about powering devices from the vehicle (V2X) and providing back power to your home (V2H).

The prototype is at Pebble Beach this week if you want to check it out. We certainly will, and we will report back with more.

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Lucid (LCID) shuts down rumors that it sold just 9 Gravity SUVs this year

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Lucid (LCID) shuts down rumors that it sold just 9 Gravity SUVs this year

A new report claimed that Lucid Motors’ (LCID) new Gravity SUV had just nine registrations in its first six months. Lucid denied the rumors, telling us Gravity deliveries are “well into the 3-digit range.”

Lucid denies rumors of slow Gravity SUV sales

There’s no denying that the Gravity is an impressive electric SUV. It can drive up to 450 miles on a single charge and has more interior space than a Ford Explorer. With up to 828 hp, it’s also faster than most sports cars.

However, a new Automotive News report claimed the Gravity only managed to secure nine registrations in its first six months on the market, citing S&P Global Mobility data.

Nick Twork, Lucid’s head of communications, confirmed in an email to Electrek that the claim is “completely inaccurate.”

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Twork added that “a quick review of social media postings from our customers shows that those numbers are simply not credible.” Although Lucid doesn’t provide a breakdown, Gravity deliveries are “well into the 3-digit range,” he said.

Lucid-Gravity-rumors
Lucid Gravity Grand Touring (Source: Lucid)

In the second half of the year, Lucid expects the Gravity SUV to account for the majority of production and deliveries.

The EV maker anticipates a significant ramp-up in production during the second half of the year. On the company’s second-quarter earnings call, interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said that after overcoming most of the supply chain issues, including the industry-wide magnet shortage, the company was “beginning to ramp up Lucid Gravity production.”

Lucid-Gravity-rumors
Lucid Gravity electric SUV at a Tesla Supercharger (Source: Lucid Motors)

Winterhoff added that “our daily order rate has nearly doubled” since introducing Gravity models in its studios and offering test drives.

If it weren’t for Lucid’s quick actions, the company would have had to halt production in the second quarter. Instead, Lucid produced just over 6,000 vehicles in the second quarter.

Lucid-Gravity-Air-EVs
Lucid Air (left) and Gravity (right) Source: Lucid

During an interview with CNBC the following day, Lucid’s CEO stated that the company now has the raw materials, earth magnets, and licensing for the remainder of the year.

Lucid has reduced its production goal for 2025 from 20,000 to between 18,000 and 20,000 units. The company cited a changing market as the reason for the updated range.

The EV maker also scored a partnership with Uber and Nuro to launch 20,000 Gravity robotaxis over the next six years. Uber is investing $300 million into Lucid as part of the deal.

Meanwhile, Lucid’s Air remained the best-selling luxury electric sedan in the US. The Air outsold the Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan, and even most gas models in its segment in the first half of 2025.

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Ford’s $30,000 EV pickup signals the end of these popular gas SUVs

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Ford's ,000 EV pickup signals the end of these popular gas SUVs

Ford’s next “Model T” is a midsize electric pickup that will start at around $30,000. The new model will be the first of a family of affordable electric vehicles based on the new Ford Universal EV Platform. As Ford shifts to lower-cost EVs, a few popular SUVs you may recognize are getting axed.

Ford’s new $30,000 EV pickup will replace gas SUVs

At its Louisville, Kentucky, plant on Monday (see our recap of the event), Ford revealed plans to build a new midsize EV pickup, claiming it will have a lower cost of ownership than a Tesla Model Y.

It will also have more interior space, thanks to its new “Ford Universal EV Platform,” which was also unveiled during the event.

The platform will underpin a series of new affordable electric cars that Ford promises will compete with the best. Ford is set to begin production of the new midsize EV pickup in 2027 at the Louisville Assembly plant, meaning it will need to clear room.

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Ford currently builds the Escape and Lincoln Corsair at the facility, both of which will be retired. The Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair will officially be discontinued after the 2026 model year.

Ford-$30,000-EV-pickup
CEO Jim Farley presents the Ford Universal EV Platform in Kentucky (Source: Ford)

The announcement came as a shock to some, as the Escape is Ford’s second-best-selling SUV, behind the Explorer. It even outsold the Bronco Sport in the first half of the year (82,589 vs 72,438).

The Corsair is the second-best-selling Lincoln brand model through June, behind the Nautilus, with 13,096 units sold.

Ford-Universal-EV-platform
Ford Universal EV Platform (Source: Ford)

Although production is slated to end later this year, Ford confirmed the SUVs will continue to be sold well into 2026.

Ford has invested around $5 billion in its Louisville Assembly Complex, creating nearly 4,000 jobs, as it prepares for its next generation of electric vehicles. It will begin with Ford’s new midsize EV pickup, which is expected to launch in 2027 with a starting price of around $30,000.

Source: Car and Driver, Ford

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