A consortium led by DNV GL is developing a framework for business cases for community battery storage.
Alfen and Peeks are the other members of the consortium, which will provide insight in the social and economic feasibility of community battery systems.
It will investigate the parameters for a successful community energy storage business case.
The parameters will be used to develop a framework for widespread implementation of community storage.
The framework will create benefits for consumers, suppliers, network operators and other stakeholders, to speed up the implementation of energy storage in the energy transition.
DNV GL said with community battery systems, grid operators can adjust their electricity to suit the needs of customers and can also store energy generated from renewable resources.
One of the main reasons cited by the Norway-based certification agency is that regulatory restrictions such as grid code prohibiting operators from interfering in the commercial marketplace and thus, cannot benefit from implementing such new technology.
Through collaborations, new technologies can be implemented, which bring more benefits and thus, higher revenues, without additional investments.
It also noted that by implementing technologies such as battery storage, a grid operator can pass on the cost on to consumers and businesses by offering reliable power supply without inconvenience of ongoing maintenance and grid reinforcement.
Energy storage in the low voltage grid will benefit both the grid operator and the energy user. A storage system will keep the cost of network investments in several cases lower than traditional grid reinforcement.
DNV GL said: “The new multi-stakeholder approach would allow a party to be commercially active and to deploy the storage system for the rest of the time for trade on the energy market (APX, primary reserve, secondary reserve). This structure allows both the grid operator and the consumer to benefit, while also increasing the amount of renewables into the grid.”
Image: DNV GL collaborates with Alfen and Peeks to study viability of community storage system. Photo: Courtesy of DNV GL AS.