Energy Storage Is Happening in a Big Way
2GreenEnergy super-supporter Gary Tulie writes from beautiful Buckinghamshire, England (pictured): This is a very interesting development as in this case, the utility operator is paying around 80% of the installed cost of Powerwall 2 installed at customer premises in exchange for the right to use their aggregated capacity to keep the grid stable.
The customer gets back up battery power for a nominal $15 per month over 10 years.
Yes. In my mind it’s illustrative of a couple important facts that govern the implementation of energy storage into the grid:
a) The combinations of different types of storage, configurations of storage elements, and business models by which they’re sold and used are almost infinite.
b) Because storage benefits all four players in the grid (generation, transmission, distribution, and load/consumer), it’s a bit tricky figuring out how the costs should be apportioned.
In any case, one central point is clear: we’re getting there. If we still have a civilization here in 50 years, ubiquitous energy storage will most definitely be an important part of it.
Craig,
It’s hard to know what to think about home solar and energy storage systems.
On the one hand my heart want’s to exclaim ” Eureka ! ” and run through the streets spreading the good news. But my analysts brain makes me wonder if we are not just fiddling around with idealistic solutions that make us feel like we’re doing something, but in the end we’re just wasting our time.
It’s not an easy conversation to have with folk who are really committed or Wind and Solar power generation.
Despite have built several solar systems of my own incorporating Flow batteries, and a fair sized biomass generating system with distribution infrastructure, even a small experimental Geo-thermal plant, I’m still concerned more could be achieved with a really advanced nuclear facility.
With so much emotion, self-interest and investment at stake, it’s hard to form a really obnjective analysis.
I think the one thing we can all agree on is it’s good to see people getting involved.