Credit: Getty Images/ABC
Battery storage is set to increase the capability of renewables to power the grid, & Australia has a unique set of circumstances which are likely to make it first to embrace this technology:
● among the highest electricity costs in the world1
● technically aware community
● largest interconnected power system in the world
● lots of sunshine & many cloud-free days to generate solar electricity
● South Australia, from time-to-time has an excess of renewable electricity (mainly wind) & has begun subsidising battery storage
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1 Australian Broadcasting Corporation, “Background Briefing – The big disconnect”, transcript & podcast available at:
http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/backgroundbriefing/the-big-disconnect/6972114#transcript / Australian electricity bills among the highest in the world analysts driving consumers embrace new solar technologies including batteries big energy networks shot themselves in the foot electricity in Australia was cheap we pay some of the highest prices in the world I haven't seen network charges higher in any other region or country of the world Bruce Mountain Carbon and Energy Markets Australia dramatic increase driven cost of energy massive spike in network charges over-investment poles and wires otherwise known as gold-plating network charges higher any other region country of the world Bruce Mountain director of Carbon and Energy Markets Australia longtime advisor electricity regulators around the world networks are still seeking to milk the system taking account of the extraordinary expenditure profits businesses coming attention customers solar user big increase fixed network charges bill Sunshine Coast team coordinator advocacy group Solar Citizens Solar Citizen increase I did the sums my next bill my current bill fixed network charges costing Country Solar Steve Madson price increases angry told that their electricity price is going down and it's continued to go up they want to leave the grid electricity networks Tesla announced Powerwall lithium ion battery system stores solar power during the day so it can be used at night investment bank UBS total cost use less grid power Powerwall no better place for batteries right now than Australia Europe Paul Nahi CEO of Enphase Energy American company Australia global launch new solar battery system Australia very forward-looking leader of solar very mature solar market next step in energy beyond solar storage Penelope Crossley specialist in energy and resources law senior industry advisor to the Australian Energy Storage Alliance excellent solar resources very high penetration of residential solar we've got exceptionally high electricity prices driving up their charges networks have helped make Australia the best market in the world for solar storage enable network customers to get away from using the grid investment banks making staggering predictions about how big the market could get Morgan Stanley research predicting size of the battery market around 2.4 million households by 2030 Australia's official national forecaster AEMO very different view of the future battery storage revolution Ian McLeod head of Queensland network Ergon Energy trialing new projects using solar storage across its vast network passive price increases problem-led solutions using batteries early adopters edge of grid 70 per cent of solar users in Queensland still make good money selling their solar power back to the grid value storing that energy feeding it in feed in tarift market customers aren't just driven by price Australian Energy Storage Alliance Penelope Crossley consumers Australia 1.4 million homes have actually already taken steps to put solar on their roofs not passive consumers consumers actively interested in their own energy usage consumers drive the uptake of solar and storage electricity networks speed at which the uptake is occurring apartments vested interest in maintaining the status quo zinc bromine bromide flow cell gell /
