Sony and Hydro-Québec have agreed to establish a joint venture to research and develop a large-scale energy storage system for power grids. The new company will utilize Sony’s control technologies for highly safe, reliable, olivine-type lithium-ion iron phosphate rechargeable batteries and highly scalable module systems, together with Hydro-Québec’s operation and control technologies for electric power supplies as well as its lithium-ion battery material technology.
By combining these strengths, the new company intends to research and develop a highly safe and reliable system for large-scale applications, as well as battery material technology suitable for use within electric power systems, and explore their use in a wide variety of applications, such as meeting excess demand during peak times, and the integrating renewable energy sources into power grids. Hydro-Québec is Canada’s largest electricity producer and one of the world’s leading hydropower producers. Sony and Hydro-Québec plan to establish the new company in June, 2014.

