storage Archives

Ménard Dworkind outfits Montreal restaurant with custom wine storage

Canadian studio Ménard Dworkind has created an intimate French restaurant in the Villeray neighborhood of Montreal complete with warm interiors and a custom white oak wine cellar.

Known as Casavant, the 850-square foot (80-square metre) brasserie-style restaurant was completed in September 2023 on the ground floor of a 1920’s residential building, replacing a sandwich shop.

View of Montreal restaurant with white brick — Ménard Dworkind has created a restaurant in a 1920s Montreal building

Ménard Dworkind (MRDK) designed the small restaurant – which seats 45 patrons – to bring diners together in a space that combines art deco influences with Montreal’s vibrant culinary scene. It was designed to “blend timeless elegance with a contemporary twist”.

Located on the corner of the block, the guests enter the rectangular interior through a white brick facade. Natural light comes in from multiple directions through large, black-framed storefront windows.

Monttreal restuarant with wine cellar — Large windows let in plenty of light

The floor is speckled with 3D-patterned matte tiles by Daltile arranged in a custom mosaic, while beige tile climbs up the walls.

Burnt orange corduroy banquette seating wraps around the two outside walls with two linear high-top tables floating freely in the space. The vintage French bistro chairs were acquired from another restaurateur.

Vintage furniture in Montreal restaurant — Vintage furniture was used

The party wall serves as the focal point with the bar and custom white oak wine cellar and displays a selection of natural wines in raw wood cabinetry with rounded corner glass-front doors.

“The wine cellar has been the focal point as soon as we started discussions with the clients,” said partner Guillaume Ménard. “It was important to be able to see it from everywhere you sit or stand.

“Since it’s wall mounted, it attracts the eye pretty quickly with action going on behind the bar as well as the light coming out of it,” he said.

The compact kitchen – with an open pass-through window into the dining space that shows off the lively action of cooking – and the dark blue restroom corridor are tucked at the back of the restaurant.

“The ceiling boasts a unique, funky patterned alcove made from colorful acoustic panels, contributing to the restaurant’s eclectic and inviting character while helping with the acoustical comfort,” the team told Dezeen, referencing the tray-like inset with a blush, maroon and peach abstract graphic.

Montreal restaurant — It has a ceiling clad with acoustic panels

“We really like the addition of the patterned acoustical panels on the ceiling,” Ménard noted.

“It adds depth, comfort and colors to the space. It also acts as a lantern since it is lightened up by a dissimulated LED strip.”

Wine cabinet — A custom wine cabinet was installed

In addition to the locally crafted and sourced materials, artistic details occur throughout the space like a painting from local artist Nicolas Grenier and a vintage Medusa pendant light by Carlo Nason, which displays the restaurant’s charm through the glazing to passers-by.

Two of Ménard Dworkind’s previous restaurant interiors in Montreal include the Italian 1960’s-inspired design for Tiramisu with a chrome service counter and large leafy plants and the retro-themed design for Caffettiera Caffé Bar with a checkerboard floor and teal accents.

The photography is by David Dworkind.

Project credits:

Team: Guillaume Menard, Fabrice Doutriaux
Contractor: Avodah Construction
Ceramic floor and wall tile: Daltile
Lighting: humanhome
Stools: Uline
Upholstery: Bisson Bruneel
Acoustic panels: Akustus

Reference

Interior Design

Wine storage solutions feature in this Dezeen lookbook

By Zarkon Group,30/07/2023

For those who don’t want to keep their wine collection hidden away, our latest lookbook showcases some of the most inventive ways of showcasing wine bottles within a contemporary home interior.

Wine storage solutions can be created in homes of any size, by cleverly integrating shelving into wall niches or built-in furniture.

For those with enough space for a wine cellar, or even just a dedicated wine fridge, well-designed glazing and lighting can turn these spaces into focal points.

A more casual wine drinker could simply slot a small wine rack into a kitchen island or bookshelf.

Read on for 10 examples to suit homes of any size, including a wine cellar that doubles as a lightbox and a blue wine-rack wall.

This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from our archive. Other recent editions showcase serene bedrooms and wood-panelled dining rooms.

Wine room in Maison du Parc by La Shed Architecture — Photo by Maxime Brouillet

Maison du Parc, Canada, by La Shed Architecture

Visible from both the staircase and a grand basement bathroom, this wine room was designed to be a key feature in a three-storey home in Montreal.

With frosted glass walls and stark lighting, it makes the bottles visible but partially obscured. They appear as a grid of spots across the surfaces of the bright white volume.

Find out more about Maison du Parc ›

Wine rack in AML Apartment by David Ito Architecture — Photo by Pedro Kok

AML Apartment, Brazil, by David Ito Arquitetura

Bright blue wine storage extends floor to ceiling in this apartment in São Paulo, lining up exactly with a doorway in front.

The wine rack sits alongside a utility area but it is also visible from the living and dining room, so it made sense to make it a feature. It offers space for 108 wine bottles.

Find out more about AML Apartment ›

Kitchen island in Gallery House Stoke Newington by Neil Dusheiko Architects — Photo by Agnese Sanvito

Gallery House, UK, by Neil Dusheiko

Wine bottles are not the primary focus in this kitchen extension in north London, which features an entire wall of treasured objects including ceramics, glassware and framed pictures.

Instead, they neatly slot into 10 circular cubby holes within the oak kitchen island. These holes extend through, creating room for two bottles in each opening.

Find out more about Gallery House ›

Pantry with wine shelves in Casa em Cotia by Una Arquitetos — Photo by Nelson Kon

Casa em Cotia, Brazil, by Una Arquitetos

The kitchen of this family home in São Paulo centres around a full-height glass-fronted pantry, offering plenty of storage space for food and crockery.

Wine storage is located within the front cupboard, slotted in underneath shelves for mugs and glasses. This places it within easy access of the adjacent dining room.

Find out more about Casa em Cotia ›

Wine storage in City Beach residence in Perth by Design Theory — Photo by Jack Lovel

City Beach Residence, Australia, by Design Theory

Hexagonal terracotta modules are stacked up to create storage space for 50 wine bottles in this renovated 1960s beach house in Perth.

The arrangement slots into a niche in the wall, with the clay-based material helping to keep the wine at a stable temperature.

Find out more about City Beach Residence ›

Wine storage in Raft Loft by Dash Marshall — Photo by Mark Wickens

Raft Loft, USA, by Dash Marshall

There is plenty of space for storing wine in this two-level home in New York’s Tribeca, which was converted from two previously separate apartments.

In addition to the main kitchen, the residence has a kitchenette that features both a wine fridge and a wine rack that slots in above the wall-mounted high cupboards.

Find out more about Raft Loft ›

Ski Slope Residence, USA, by LaRue Architects and Britt Design Group

The owners of this lakeside cabin in Austin, Texas, also own a vineyard in Argentina, so they were understandably keen to put their wine collection on full display.

A wine room takes pride of place near the main entrance. It is visible behind a glass door that extends from floor to ceiling, creating an unusual backdrop to a grand piano.

Find out more about Ski Slope Residence ›

Wine rack in Charred House kitchen — Photo by Adam Scott

Charred House, UK, by Rider Stirland Architects

In this London home, wine storage forms part of a bespoke kitchen created by Plykea, a British brand that specialises in customising IKEA kitchens.

The bottles are held in place by simple supports that sit within a series of shelves, offering space for 30 bottles.

Find out more about Charred House ›

Wine rack in Salva46 by Miel Arquitectos and Studio P10 — Photo by Asier Rua

Salva46, Spain, by Miel Arquitectos and Studio P10

Storage helps to organise the floor plan in this highly compact Barcelona apartment.

A very simple wood-framed wine rack slots alongside a set of drawers, which together create a soft divide between the entrance lobby and the kitchen.

Find out more about Salva46 ›

Soho Loft by Julian King — Photo by Michael Moran and Julian King Architect

Soho Loft, USA, by Julian King

This warehouse apartment in New York offers a highly simple wine storage solution.

The living space features a series of shelves that together form a sizeable bookcase. A wooden rack slots into the bottom shelf, allowing wine to sit alongside the literature.

Find out more about Soho Loft ›

This is the latest in Dezeen’s lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from our archive. Other recent editions showcase serene bedrooms and wood-panelled dining rooms.

Reference

Sustainable News

Used EV batteries for on-site energy storage

By Zarkon Group,26/07/2023

Spotted: When it comes to on-site renewable energy, a key challenge facing many businesses is that sources such as solar and wind are intermittent, generating power only when the sun shines and the wind blows. Energy-storage solutions are therefore crucial for ensuring sufficient power is available when it’s needed most.

Enter Connected Energy, a UK startup that has created E-STOR, a commercial-scale, energy-storage system that leverages 24 second-life Renault EV batteries. Easily installed at modern commercial and industrial sites within a 20-foot shipping container, E-STOR can optimise a site’s energy use, reducing costs and carbon emissions.

Another key benefit of the system is that it’s completely modular. Units can be installed individually or as multiple systems working together, meaning storage can be scaled-up as the client requires. Servicing businesses across the UK and Europe, the company even offers free feasibility studies to ensure that battery energy storage is the right solution for any given site.

Clients use E-STOR for active load management. The system can be charged from existing building supply or from solar panels and on-site wind, flexibly storing surplus energy generated when demand is low for use at peak times. Companies can also use E-STOR to generate revenue by offering load-balancing services to the grid.

Springwise has spotted other energy storage solutions in the archive, including one designed for homeowners in the event of a power outage, and another made from recycled batteries.

Written By: Rachel Ward

Reference

Interior Design

Eight pared-back kitchens with minimalist storage solutions

By Zarkon Group,01/07/2023

Sometimes the simple solutions are the best, as seen in this lookbook featuring tidy kitchen interiors where minimalist closed cabinets are combined with decorative materials.

In these kitchens, found in homes from Sweden to Mexico, architects and designers largely chose simple storage solutions but added material interest in the form of marble, steel and brick details.

By hiding utensils and crockery away, benches and kitchen islands are freed up to use for food preparation. In some of these kitchens, open shelves above the work areas also provide spaces to hold decorative plates, bowls and cookbooks.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes where the wardrobe is the focal point, bedrooms with statement headboards and homes with pergolas.

Interior of Steele's Road House by Neiheiser Argyros — Photo by Lorenzo Zandri

Steele’s Road House, UK, by Neiheiser Argyros

The original brickwork was uncovered in parts of this London flat, including in the kitchen where it forms the backdrop to the room’s minimalist cabinets.

Pale-wood cupboards sit underneath the brick wall, which also features shelves to add more storage.

Designers Neiheiser Argyros added a curved window seat, as well as a wooden kitchen table and stool to match the cabinets and give the room a more natural feel.

Find out more about Steele’s Road House ›

Canal Saint-Martin apartment by Rodolphe Parente — Photo by Giulio Ghirardi

Hausmann apartment, France, by Rodolphe Parente

This Parisian apartment in a 19th-century Haussmann building in Paris was given an overhaul by interior designer Rodolphe Parente, who took cues from the owner’s art collection.

In the kitchen, stainless steel cabinets were used to form storage and workspaces, creating an industrial feel that is tempered by pastel-pink walls.

“The kitchen is a deconstructed block sitting in the Haussmanian environment,” Parente told Dezeen. “It is connected to the historical elements through its composition.”

Find out more about the Hausmann apartment ›

Kitchen in Studio Vaaro's House M — Photo by Scott Norsworthy

House M, Canada, by Studio Vaaro

Studio Vaaro used oak cabinetry for the kitchen of this home in Canada, while matching oak shelving provides additional storage above the workspaces.

To contrast the warm wood, the studio chose grey marble for the countertops and splashbacks, which gives the kitchen an organic feel. Additional storage can be found in the pale grey cabinets that frame the kitchen.

Find out more about House M ›

Kitchen in apartment by Holloway Li — Photo by Edmund Dabney

London apartment, UK, by Holloway Li

A kitchen clad in circle-brushed stainless steel clads one wall in this London flat by local studio Holloway Li. Designed in reference to the city’s many fish-and-chip shops, it features a striking curved splashback.

Above the workspaces, a built-in open shelf provides space to store glasses and cooking utensils, with the rest of the storage is hidden behind patterned-steel cabinet doors.

Find out more about London apartment ›

Quesnel apartment — Photo by Ronan Mézière

Montreal apartment, Canada, by Naturehumanie

Fresh minty hues decorate the kitchen of this Montreal apartment, which was given a modern update while retaining many of its traditional details.

The green colour matches that of the apartment’s existing stained glass doors. And the kitchen island and cabinets both have inviting curved forms, finished in a glossy paint that complements the rougher tiles above the counters.

Find out more about the Montreal apartment ›

Kitchen in Highbury House by Daytrip — Photo by Gareth Hacker

Highbury House, UK, by Daytrip

Located in Highbury in north London, this home juxtaposes a gallery-like minimalism with more organic forms.

This is evident in the kitchen, where pared-back storage cabinets in an unusual rectangular shape sit underneath a decorative marble countertop.

Sculptural vases, plates and cooking utensils decorate the matching marble kitchen island as well as a small ledge that functions as both storage and display counter.

Find out more about Highbury House ›

Kitchen with white oak and Florida Brush quartzite — Photo by Yoshihiro Makino

Eastern Columbia Loft, US, by Sheft Farrace

Architecture studio Sheft Farrace renovated this flat, which is located in the iconic art deco Eastern Columbia building in Los Angeles, creating minimalist interiors that draw on the building’s exterior.

In the kitchen, this can be seen in the curved corners of the counters and the elongated cabinet hardware, which reference 1930s design. Florida Brush quartzite was used to cover much of the kitchen, adding a striking decorative detail that is complemented by white oak.

Find out more about Eastern Columbia Loft ›

Kitchen inside Archipelago House by Norm Architects — Photo courtesy of Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen of Norm Architects

Archipelago House, Sweden, by Norm Architects

Danish studio Norm Architects designed this home on the west coast of Sweden to embody both Scandinavian and Japanese aesthetics.

In the white-walled kitchen, a stainless-steel kitchen island offers both a practical workspace and cupboards for storage. Open wood shelving was decorated with black ceramics to create an art installation-style feature on one wall.

Find out more about Archipelago House ›

Reference

Interior Design

Studio Vaaro reconfigures House M using built-in storage volumes

By Zarkon Group,04/05/2023

For the renovation of a house in Toronto’s West End, local firm Studio Vaaro added minimally detailed millwork to form kitchen cabinetry, the staircase and a feature bookcase in the living room.

Studio Vaaro‘s overhaul of House M, a three-storey detached property that had been renovated and extended multiple times over the years, involved reconfiguring the layout to remove the awkward subdivided spaces.

Ground floor divided by pale blue storage volumes — The ground floor of House M is partitioned by storage volumes laid out in a diamond formation

“Our clients were a professional couple with two young children, who were looking for flexible and resilient spaces that could accommodate their home offices, overnight guests, and the changing needs of their growing children,” said the studio.

“We, therefore, developed a spatial concept based on ‘functional volumes’, in which well-proportioned spaces are partitioned by blocks of storage and service functions.”

Kitchen separated from dining room by pale blue partition — The pale blue-grey volumes provide additional storage space for the kitchen

These built-in storage blocks partially partition four rooms on the ground floor while keeping an open flow between them.

Laid out in a diamond formation, all are coloured pale blue-grey to highlight their function against the otherwise white walls.

Kitchen with oak cabinetry and marble countertops — In the kitchen, oak cabinetry contrasts with the marble countertops

“The large amount of built-in storage ensures the rooms themselves are free of clutter and ready for use,” said Studio Vaaro. “In line with the family’s personalities, colour and playful details abound.”

In the entryway is a coat closet that hides the view of the living room behind, where an oak bookcase sat atop a teal powder-coated fireplace covers almost an entire wall.

Oak staircase with built-in bleachers and white guardrails — Bleachers are built into the oak staircase, offering a display area or extra seating

A powder room is placed between this space and the kitchen, also forming additional cabinet and counter space within its volume.

Further kitchen storage sits in front of the dining room, and another closet is tucked under the doglegging staircase.

Bedrooms viewed through deep portal doorways coloured dusty pink — On the first floor, the bedrooms are accessed through deep portal doorways

“A ‘mixing bowl’ at the centre of the plan, at the base of the stairs, visually and physically connects all four spaces,” the studio said.

Both the entry and the dining room volumes are pulled away from the home’s exterior walls, allowing additional views between rooms.

Kid's room with patterned wallpaper and writing on a closet door — The portals are coloured dusty pink and the kids rooms are also colourful

The remaining built-in furniture is oak to match the flooring that runs throughout, including kitchen millwork and the staircase, which incorporates oversized bleachers for displaying kids’ artwork or creating extra seating during a party.

A white metal “picket” guardrail, softened with rounded details, allows light to pass down from the upper levels.

On the first floor, two parallel volumes separate the children’s rooms at the front of the house and the primary suite at the back from the central corridor.

These create both storage for the rooms, and deep doorway portals that are highlighted in dusty pink.

Bathroom vanity with an angled skylight above — Skylights in the stepped angled roofs bring extra light into rooms at the rear, including the primary bathroom

Carefully considered details include recesses for the door handles, allowing the doors to open the full 90 degrees without banging into the wall.

Work and study spaces in the attic are minimally furnished, though feature built-in desks that step up to form shelves behind.

Study area with built-in oak desk — Study spaces in the attic also feature built-in furniture

Skylights in the stepped, angled roof planes on all three floors bring extra light into the dining room, primary bathroom, and the stairwell.

Other Toronto homes that have undergone extensive renovations to make them better suited for their occupants include a 14-foot-wide house where pale woodwork forms storage to make more space, and another “disguised as a gallery” – both designed by StudioAC.

The photography is by Scott Norsworthy.

Project credits:

Team: Aleris Rodgers, Francesco Valente-Gorjup, Shengjie Qiu.

Reference

Interior Design

Eight tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions

By Zarkon Group,11/02/2023

As people’s interest in ultra-organised homes shows no signs of abating, we’ve collected eight clutter-free kitchens with smart storage solutions in our latest lookbook.

Spearheaded by Japanese organisational guru Marie Kondo, well-organised interiors have become a global trend. In no room is this more evident than in the kitchen, where pantries are stocked up with decanted jam jars, spice racks are labelled and shelving units are customised to house specific utensils.

The following projects, which range from compact apartments to home extensions, use hooks, nooks, racks, shelves, cubby holes and display units to create tidy kitchens where not a grain is out of place.

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring Spanish apartment renovations, cosy cabins and interiors with statement carpets.

MAP House by SAM Architects — Photo is by Edmund Sumner

Map House, UK, by SAM Architects

Paolo Vimercati and Melanie Schubert of SAM Architects demolished a garage hidden behind several listed buildings in south London in order to create this mews house for themselves.

Designed to accommodate their “modern lifestyles”, the home’s interior is clad in vertical planks of charred larch and has plenty of open-plan spaces.

The kitchen has pink, blue and orange plywood units that are filled with cooking books and glassware, while a pegboard display area is used to hang crockery.

Find out more about Map House ›

Fifth Avenue Kitchen by Handwerk Art and Design — Photo is by Perry E Hall

Fifth Avenue Kitchen, US, by Handwerk Art and Design

Space-saving storage solutions can be found in Fifth Avenue Kitchen, a compact New York apartment created by interior design studio Handwerk Art and Design for a client who works in the film industry.

Aiming to make the most of the 160-square-foot (15 square-metre) space, Handwerk retrofitted the kitchen with features including a pegboard wall for hanging mugs, aprons and other items.

“Starting with a study of their cooking habits and spatial needs, we designed a set of custom cabinets for the whole kitchen that placed everything specifically and precisely,” said the studio.

Find out more about Fifth Avenue Kitchen ›

A kitchen interior by Nimtim Architects — Photo is by Megan Taylor

Fruit Box, UK, by Nimtim Architects

Plywood and planed softwood structures with square tiles characterise this playful galley kitchen designed by Nimtim Architects for a home extension project in Forest Hill, London.

A kitchen island features a tiled waterfall countertop above a sink and shelving. The kitchen walls were designed to be filled in to increase privacy, or easily removed to maximise open space depending on the family’s future needs.

Find out more about Fruit Box ›

The Family Playground by HAO Design — Photo is by Hey Cheese

The Family Playground, Taiwan, by HAO Design

This family home in Taiwan was reorganised by studio HAO Design so that its occupants could spend more time with each other. In the kitchen, the parents are able to watch their children play games or listen to them play the piano while they are making dinner.

High ceilings in the kitchen meant there was room for a large black steel storage rack to be hung above a white-tiled island. The cage-like storage system serves as a “visual focus” and can also be used to hold plants or kitchenware.

Find out more about The Family Playground ›

Air BnP by Position Collection — Photo is courtesy of Position Collective

Air-BnP, Hungary, by Position Collective

This former studio flat in Budapest was reorganised by Hungarian studio Position Collective to create an Airbnb property suitable for two guests. Rather than rearranging the layout – and mindful of the small budget – the studio installed a plywood furniture and storage system that caters to temporary occupants’ needs.

In the kitchen, it features a modular pegboard storage wall with adjustable shelves to showcase different pieces of local Hungarian art books, home accessories and cooking equipment.

Find out more about Air-BnP ›

Curve Appeal kitchen interior — Photo is by Megan Taylor

Curve Appeal, UK, by Nimtim Architects

London studio Nimtim Architects transformed a 1920s semi-detached house in Southwark using multifunctional plywood partitions with arched openings and alcoves for storing belongings.

A limited, neutral-toned material palette was employed in the kitchen, comprised of handmade terracotta floor tiles, laminated countertops and sustainably sourced plywood.

Find out more about Curve Appeal ›

Kitchen of Maison Pour Dodo by Studio Merlin — Photo is by Richard Chivers

Maison Pour Dodo, UK, by Studio Merlin

For the revamp of a flat in Stoke Newington, British interior firm Studio Merlin added an abundance of storage to form serene, clutter-free living spaces.

An opening in the living room connects the kitchen, where there’s a wall of deep-set IKEA cabinets with smokey blue door fronts and a seating nook. Above this, a series of pantry-style shelves means the owner can easily access jars of cooking ingredients.

Find out more about Maison Pour Dodo ›

A kitchen with wooden shleving units — Photo is by Cristobal Palma

Punta Chilen, Chile, by Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados

Named after the peninsula of land that the residential complex sits on, this red home extension was constructed by Santiago-based architecture studio Guillermo Acuña Arquitectos Asociados using pine stilts.

An open-plan room in the heart of the home is a communal space designed for cooking and eating. Large pine shelves filled with ornaments and tableware line the walls.

Find out more about Punta Chilen ›

This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen’s archive. For more inspiration see previous lookbooks featuring homes with sliding doors, earthy bedrooms with natural colours and kitchens with marble surfaces.

Reference

Sustainable News

A revolutionary iron-air battery for grid-level energy storage

By Zarkon Group,04/02/2023

Spotted: Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries were first developed in 1985 and have since become ubiquitous in products such as toys, wireless headphones, electric vehicles, and electrical energy storage systems. However, one issue with these batteries is the fact that they contain numerous toxic metals, which make their manufacture, recycling, and use environmentally problematic.

Startup Form Energy, which was spun out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has found a way to make an alternative battery technology, metal-air batteries, more viable. Today’s metal-air batteries, such as the zinc-air batteries used in hearing aids, use fewer toxic materials than Li-ion batteries but are not rechargeable as they corrode quickly. The MIT researchers, however, have found a way to reverse the corrosion process, creating rechargeable iron-air batteries.

Iron was chosen for use in the new design because it is cheap and abundant, with the new batteries likely costing around $20 per kilowatt-hour, compared to up to $200 for Li-ion batteries. The company says they will be perfect for grid-level energy storage as they excel at long-term energy storage and can deliver more than three milliwatts output capacity per acre of batteries.

Form CEO Mateo Jaramillo explains: “We believe that to meet supply chain challenges and to run the grid reliably and affordably, we need new domestically manufactured energy storage technologies (…) The active components of our iron-air battery system are some of the safest, cheapest, and most abundant materials on the planet – low-cost iron, water, and air.”

Improving battery technology to make it cheaper, safer, and more efficient is the impetus behind a growing number of innovations spotted by Springwise. Some recent developments include a green method for recycling the materials used in Li-ion batteries, and improved, high-performance hydrogen fuel cells.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Sustainable News

Underground storage for hydrogen – Springwise

By Zarkon Group,20/01/2023

Spotted: Increasingly, green hydrogen is touted as a crucial element in the world’s journey to carbon zero. UK startup and underground energy storage specialist, Gravitricity, is completing its design of purpose-built underground lined rock shafts which would enable efficient underground hydrogen storage.

Gravitricity believes its storage technology, which it calls FlexiStore, is a ‘Goldilocks’ solution to the obstacles facing hydrogen storage. Unlike above-ground hydrogen storage alternatives, FlexiStore provides a much bigger and more secure system. It is also more flexible than subterranean salt caverns – another commonly suggested method of underground storage.

One FlexiStore could store the green hydrogen generated by an offshore wind farm, but this would fill up daily and would need to be emptied regularly. To make the process more efficient, multiple stores could be constructed so that large amounts of wind energy that would otherwise go to waste could be soaked up. And unlike salt cavern storage, which naturally requires specific geological environments, Gravitricity’s stores can be built wherever they are needed.

Gravitricity has already identified many sites for its UK pilot project and is discussing the project and future commercial schemes with site owners. The company recently completed a £300,000 (around €341,000) feasibility study, which showed it is technically and commercially viable to store large amounts of compressed hydrogen with the Flexistore technology. 

Springwise has spotted other innovations aimed at storing hydrogen. HydroSolid developed a way to store and transport large amounts of hydrogen at low pressures using a new nanomaterial, and EPRO found a way to transport green hydrogen in powder form.

Written By: Anam Alam

Reference

Sustainable News

Bio-based membranes for energy storage

By Zarkon Group,29/10/2022

Spotted: While the transition to renewable energy is picking up pace all the time, there are still several technological challenges facing those looking to build a fully sustainable future. One of these is the need for a more efficient way to store energy. Many renewable sources, such as wind and solar power, are intermittent, and it is vital to find ways to store this energy when it is not needed. Redox flow batteries are among the most efficient energy storage technologies. Now, Swedish startup Cellfion is working to make redox flow batteries even more efficient with a unique, bio-based membrane.

Redox flow batteries are a type of electrochemical cell where dissolved chemicals are pumped through the system on separate sides of a membrane, leading to ion transfer and the flow of electric current through an external circuit. Cellfion has developed a novel ion-selective membrane derived from cellulose. The cellulose fibres are extracted from wood and fabricated into membrane sheets that are then used as components in energy storage and conversion devices.

The bio-based membranes have several advantages over traditional membranes, which are often made from chemical polymers such as perfluorosulfonic acid. Cellfion’s cellulose membranes are non-toxic and decomposable but retain the high ion selectivity and conductivity typical of traditional membranes. In addition, at the end of their life, they can be incinerated without releasing any toxins into the environment, unlike traditional membranes.

According to Liam Hardey, Cellfion CEO, “To the best of our knowledge and extensive research, we are the first company working towards the commercialisation of bio-based membranes with no toxic substances at all”. He adds this is vital because, “If the clean energy industry is to become sustainable, we need to ensure that the materials we are using are also truly sustainable.”

More efficient battery storage is a key part of the transition to renewable energy. This is why Springwise is seeing an increase in new, more sustainable battery technologies. Innovations in this space include a green battery made from abundant and locally-sourced components and batteries that dissolve in water.

Written By: Lisa Magloff

Reference

Sustainable News

The world’s largest flow battery energy storage system

By Zarkon Group,14/10/2022

Spotted: As the world strives to achieve carbon neutrality, energy storage technology is becoming increasingly important. Renewable energy sources like wind and solar power are intermittent, meaning they’re not always available when needed. Energy storage can help to even out these fluctuations, making renewables a more reliable and consistent source of power. One of the largest energy storage projects in the world is currently being completed in Dalian, China.

The Dalian Flow Battery Energy Storage Peak-shaving Power Station will have a capacity of 100 megawatts/400 megawatt-hours, making it one of the largest storage facilities in terms of both power and capacity. The project is due to be completed in mid-October and will play an important role in helping China meet its climate goals.

The Dalian Power Station, which is based on vanadium flow battery technology developed by the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP), will serve as the city’s power bank while helping Dalian make use of renewable energy – such as wind and solar energy. The Power Station will convert electrical energy into battery-stored chemical energy and back into electrical energy, providing a reliable source of power for the city.

The power station plans to meet the daily electricity demand of about 200,000 residents. Looking ahead the aim is for these numbers to increase as the power station eventually produces 200 megawatts/800 megawatt-hours of electricity. The Power Station is an important step in Dalian’s transition to a clean energy future, and it is hoped that it will help to make the city a model for others in China and around the world.

The roll-out of renewables is gathering pace and with that roll-out comes innovation in energy storage. Springwise has recently spotted innovations such as a thermal energy storage system and a new system that stores energy in the form of heat and compressed air.

Written By: Katrina Lane

Reference

storage

Ménard Dworkind outfits Montreal restaurant with custom wine storage

Wine storage solutions feature in this Dezeen lookbook

Used EV batteries for on-site energy storage

Eight pared-back kitchens with minimalist storage solutions

Studio Vaaro reconfigures House M using built-in storage volumes

Eight tidy kitchens with slick storage solutions

A revolutionary iron-air battery for grid-level energy storage

Underground storage for hydrogen – Springwise

Bio-based membranes for energy storage

The world’s largest flow battery energy storage system

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