Energy supplier Eon is to install a 5kW energy storage demonstration system at the site of a commercial customer to understand the benefits of storage to such customers. The vanadium redox flow battery will be supplied and monitored by storage company RedT at the headquarters of warehousing and logistics company JB Wheaton in Somerset, as part of a trial by Eon to understand the potential for improved payback on solar PV installations. The 5kW, or 40kWh, system is part of a project looking to overcome the challenges of commercial and industrial-scale energy storage, and will allow Eon to examine the potential of such systems in providing ancillary services to support National Grid. The system will be used by JB Wheaton to smooth out the peaks and troughs of the company’s energy demand by storing energy generated by its 3.5MW solar panel array during the day for use charging vehicles at night.
Utility Week 11th May 2016 read more »
National Grid has announced that the rising share of renewable electricity in the UK already requires battery support. A recent study by Clean Horizon investigated more than 15 project developers and distribution grid operators in the UK to better understand the challenges that the development of storage projects face. More than half of those surveyed believe that frequency support is a good way of financing storage facilities. Only 16 percent of the investors are looking at midsize capacities that are interesting for the commercial sector and industry. At present, the market therefore mainly consists of large facilities and household systems. These two segments are, however, well developed in the UK. Interestingly, the UK has a target of 35 percent renewable electricity by 2020, whereas Germany already had 20 percent wind and solar power collectively in 2015 – and yet, the Germans have not yet seen a need to call for battery storage aside from some pilot projects to test options. One major difference, however, is that Germany’s interconnections with other countries is equal to around 20 percent of peak demand, whereas the UK has far less than 10 percent (four gigawatts, compared to peak demand in the 50s). The British may therefore face a tight situation before the Germans do.
Renew Economy 12th May 2016 read more »