Distributed Storage

The Australian Energy Market Commission has declared regulatory reform is required to maximise the benefits of the “record amounts” of household energy devices including rooftop solar systems and small-scale batteries that are connecting to the power grid.

Multiple factors affect the lifespan of residential battery energy storage systems. We look at the lifespans of batteries in the third part of this series.

Lithium-ion batteries are generally safe and unlikely to fail, but they can catch fire if damaged, stored, or operated incorrectly. With calls mounting for development of engineering good practice, US-based Firetrace International suggests three steps that battery manufacturers, developers and operators should take into account.

Tesla has recently registered as a “Market Customer” with the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). This development, brought to light by industry expert Jon Sibley, has sparked intrigue into Tesla’s intentions in Australia’s retail energy sector.

Sodium-ion batteries could diversify the battery supply chain and take the weight off the shoulders of ubiquitous lithium-ion technology. pv magazine sits down with Florian Kogler, head of safety and user experience at Austrian sodium-ion battery business Kite Rise, to discuss the technology’s potential and the company’s development plans for batteries made in Europe.

Tesla has launched the Powerwall 3 battery with an energy capacity of 13.5 kW and continuous on-grid power of 11.5 kW, featuring dimensions of 110 cm x 61 cm x 19.3 cm and a weight of 130 kg.

Shell, which acquired Sonnen four years ago, is now actively seeking a majority shareholder for the Germany storage system specialist.

The first of 400 planned community batteries has now come online in the Sydney district of Reid as per a promise Labor made while in opposition. The 412 kWh battery is sorting power from 50 households with rooftop solar and sharing electricity with approximately 150 households.

University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have looked at energy losses in South Australia and have identified average curtailment of 1.5% for distributed PV sites and 0.2% for distributed PV coupled with batteries, but some locations experience generation losses of up to 25%.

Australian residential power prices have surged up to 25% this year. With solar rooftops booming as a result, Nikhil Jayaraj, managing director of Regen Power, looks at whether home batteries will keep pace.