Solar energy output is inconsistent, sometimes too little meet demand and other times so much that some of it goes to waste. Batteries can help smooth things out.
PORTLAND, Oregon — Oregon has one of the greenest power grids in the United States, but solar and wind energy production are weather-dependent and don’t always line up with the periods of highest demand, so the abundance of clean energy tends to create a strong consumer appetite for new energy storage technologies to smooth things out.
Tualatin-based Meter is tapping into that need, aiming to hire 500 people for the manufacture and maintenance of backpack-sized batteries that can power homes and businesses. Pending UL approval, Meter expects to ramp up production this fall.
“We worked for about 3 years and now it’s finally open,” said founder Joseph Lu. As the CEO of QPO Energy, Lu has already lead one local energy storage business to prominence, …