Three signs that battery energy storage systems CR2450 battery.have become the mainstream of energy storage technology

As regulators incorporate safety regulations for energy storage deployment into new building codes and safety standards, it is clear that battery storage systems have become mainstream.

As regulators incorporate safety regulations for energy storage deployment into new building codes and safety standards, it is clear that battery storage systems have become mainstream.

Batteries have been used for more than 100 years since their invention, and solar power generation technology has been used for more than 50 years. In the early days of the solar industry, solar power generation facilities were often deployed far away from the grid, mainly supplying power to remote facilities and residences. As technology advanced and time passed, solar power facilities began to be directly connected to the grid. Nowadays, more and more solar power generation facilities are deployed in conjunction with battery energy storage systems.

As governments and companies provide incentives to reduce the cost of solar power generation facilities, more and more users are deploying solar power generation facilities to save electricity costs. Today, solar + energy storage systems have become an important part of the booming solar industry and are accelerating deployment.

Because the intermittent power supply of solar power generation will have an adverse impact on grid operations, the state of Hawaii does not allow newly built solar power generation facilities to send their excess power to the grid indiscriminately. The Hawaii Public Utilities Commission began restricting the deployment of solar power facilities directly connected to the grid in October 2015, becoming the first regulatory agency in the United States to impose restrictions. Many customers who operate solar power facilities in Hawaii have deployed battery energy storage systems for this purpose to ensure that they store excess power and use it during peak demand periods, rather than sending it directly to the grid. As a result, the relationship between solar power generation facilities and battery energy storage systems is now even closer.

Since then, electricity rates in some U.S. states have become more complex, in part to prevent solar power from being exported to the grid at inappropriate times. The industry encourages most solar customers to deploy battery storage systems. While the additional cost of deploying battery energy storage systems will make the financial return of solar power facilities lower than that of direct connection to the grid, battery energy storage systems provide additional resilience and control capabilities to the grid, which is increasingly valuable to companies and residential users. important. The industry signs are clear: energy storage systems will be an integral part of most solar power installations in the future.

1. Solar power generation facility suppliers supply supporting battery products

Energy storage suppliers have long been behind the development of solar-plus-storage projects, and some large solar installers such as Sunrun, SunPower and Tesla Inc. have begun supplying their own to their customers in the past few years. battery products.

These companies said that as the market share of solar + energy storage projects has increased significantly, the supporting deployment of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems with good performance and long working life has become more attractive to users.

As major developers in solar power move into battery production, the companies' marketing, messaging and industry influence will increase awareness among consumers, companies and governments. Their smaller rivals are also taking action to ensure they don't fall behind.

2. Utilities and policymakers provide incentives

Ever since utility companies in California raised the industry-famous duck curve problem, high penetration of solar power has had an increasing impact on the grid, and battery energy storage systems have emerged as a potential solution to deal with the duck curve problem. But it wasn’t until some industry experts compared the cost of building a natural gas peaking plant in Oxnard, Calif., to the cost of deploying battery storage that utilities and regulators realized that battery storage was Cost-effective in offsetting renewable energy intermittency. Today, many state and local governments in the United States incentivize the deployment of grid-side and behind-the-meter battery energy storage systems through measures such as California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP) and New York State’s Bulk Energy Storage Incentive Program.

These incentives have a direct or indirect impact on energy storage deployment demand. Just as government incentives for energy technologies date back to the Industrial Revolution, this means companies and consumers should actively embrace the technology.

3. Publish safety standards for battery energy storage systems

One of the most important signs that battery energy storage systems are now becoming a mainstream energy storage technology is their inclusion in the latest regulations and standards. The building and electrical codes published in the United States in 2018 include battery energy storage systems, but the UL9540 safety test standard has not yet been included.

After fruitful communication and exchanges between industry manufacturers and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an important formulator of U.S. safety regulations, the NFPA855 standard specification was announced at the end of 2019. The newly published electrical codes in the United States have been harmonized with NFPA855, providing regulatory agencies and building departments with the same level of guidance for equipment such as HVAC and water heaters.

In addition to ensuring safe deployment, these standardized requirements help building authorities and regulators enforce safety requirements, which makes it easier for them to address safety issues with batteries and related equipment. As regulators develop routine procedures for allowing battery storage systems to be installed, the risks associated with these critical steps will be reduced, resulting in shorter project deployment times, lower costs, and an improved customer experience. As with previous standards, this will continue to drive growth in the solar+storage space.

The future development of battery energy storage systems

Today, more and more companies and residential users are able to use battery energy storage systems to provide essential services that maintain grid stability. Utilities will continue to push for increasingly complex rate structures to more accurately reflect their costs and environmental impacts of delivering electricity. And as climate change causes extreme weather and power outages, the value and importance of battery energy storage systems will increase significantly.