If you’ve got solar panels on your house, you’ve probably also thought about getting a battery from Tesla to store up solar energy; that way, you can use the solar panels overnight, and maybe even disconnect from the power grid altogether. According to a new study, batteries do have some benefits, but when it comes to energy consumption and carbon emissions, well, they’re a wash.

“While home energy storage is a useful tool to reduce power flows in the distribution system, our findings indicate that it would increase net energy consumption due to energy storage inefficiencies,” University of Texas–Austin researchers Robert L. Fares and Michael E. Webber write in Nature Energy.

That conclusion is based on minute-by-minute data gathered from 99 Texas homes with solar panels and storage batteries in 2014, combined with specifications for Tesla’s Powerwall home battery—namely, its power output, total capacity, and what’s called roundtrip efficiency (essentially, how much energy is lost during the process of storing electricity in the battery and again when drawing electricity from it).

Data in hand, the researchers considered a scenario in which homeowners try to draw (and contribute) as little energy to the main power grid as they can. Under that scenario, batteries would reduce the total peak power draws across all 99 homes from 379 kilowatts to 349 kilowatts, or about 8 percent, simply because those homes don’t need energy from the grid. If nothing else, that’s good for utility companies, which must build their facilities to meet peak power demands, regardless of average needs.

Despite that, consumers aren’t actually using less energy—in fact, the homes in the study would end up using around 340 kilowatt-hours more per year than they would if they didn’t use a battery, essentially because of losses from storing energy in the battery and then taking it back out again.

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Tesla Motors Inc. and Southern California Edison on Monday unveiled one of the world’s largest energy storage facilities, part of a massive deployment of grid-connected batteries that regulators hail as key to helping keep Southern California’s lights on and reducing fossil-fuel reliance.

The facility at the utility’s Mira Loma substation in Ontario contains nearly 400 Tesla PowerPack units on a 1.5-acre site, which can store enough energy to power 2,500 homes for a day or 15,000 homes for four hours. The utility will use the collection of lithium-ion batteries, which look like big white refrigerators, to gather electricity at night and other off-peak hours so that the electrons can be injected back into the grid when power use jumps.

Tesla and Edison sealed the deal on the project in September as part of a state-mandated effort to compensate for the hobbled Aliso Canyon natural gas storage facility. They  fired up the batteries in December.

“This was unprecedented fast action,” Michael Picker, president of the California Public Utilities Commission, said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony as part of media events across the region to tout a growing number of energy storage projects.

Picker said advancements in how electricity is delivered are happening at a pace that even his office can’t track. “The innovation taking place occurs faster than we can regulate,” he said.

In addition to the Tesla-Edison project, storage facilities of similar size are being rolled out by San Diego Gas & Electric with AES Energy Storage and by Greensmith Energy Partners with AltaGas. In all, the projects are adding 77.5 megawatts of energy storage to the state’s electricity grid.

Ravi Manghani, director of energy storage for Boston-based GTM Research, said the delivery of the battery systems in a matter of months highlights that energy storage, which continues to drop in price, can be a strong alternative during times of high electricity consumption to natural gas peaker plants, which contribute to pollution. Peaker plants, which are tapped during high-demand periods, can take two to three years to get through the permitting and building process, he said.

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CONCORD, N.C–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Alevo, the Energy Storage Provider, has today unveiled the GB35, a compact-Alevo GridBank delivering optimum levels of safety, robustness, reliability and lowest levelized cost of storage (LCOS). The GB35 joins the recently launched GB50 as part of a new suite of lithium-ion compact-energy storage systems (ESS) that are non-flammable and capable of extreme long life (50,000+ cycles). The GB35/GB50 systems are also capable of high power output (70 and 100 kW respectively).

The GB35/GB50 systems utilize Alevo’s patented proprietary inorganic electrolyte – Alevolyte – to ensure non-flammability and optimum reliability and safety levels. These high power and safety properties mean the GB35/GB50 systems are ideally suited for DC fast charging stations for electric vehicles, in addition to must-run critical workloads such as hospitals, data centers, mines, sensitive machinery and microgrids.

The original Alevo GridBank is one of the most in-demand energy storage systems on the market due to its use of the breakthrough, inorganic Alevolyte. The system offers unparalleled safety, high power and extreme long life, making them the perfect solution to providing multiple services to the grid to facilitate higher rates of energy efficiency, as well as a more efficient use of capital already invested in the grid infrastructure. The new, more-compact GB35/GB50 systems provide the same, industry-leading safety standards while delivering stackable ESS to meet any capacity requirement.

“We’re proud to unveil our new GB35 system which, alongside our existing GB50 system, delivers the industry’s most-advanced energy storage systems for the commercial and industrial markets,” explained Christopher Christiansen, President of Alevo Inc. “We have designed the systems with safety absolutely central to our thinking, which is why we firmly believe our GB35/GB50 systems are perfectly suited to must-run critical situations where safety is absolutely paramount.”

About Alevo

Alevo, a leading provider of energy storage is redefining energy as a developer, manufacturer and provider of grid-scale energy storage solutions featuring GridBank™ & Alevo Analytics. GridBank Lithium-Ion batteries feature a proprietary inorganic electrolyte (Alevolyte™), which is non-flammable and offers extreme long life and stability. Alevo’s vertically engineered turnkey energy storage solution can be placed anywhere on the electricity supply chain, to reduce energy waste, lower greenhouse gases and other emissions, create efficiencies and lower costs. Founded in 2009, Alevo is headquartered in Switzerland with GridBank manufacturing in the US.

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Energy storage is a game changer. Ultimately, it could free the electric power system from matching generation and consumption on a minute-by-minute basis, saving electricity until it’s needed. Policymakers, utilities, and customers are beginning to recognize its value. Doug Little, chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, summed up the potential of behind-the-meter (BTM) storage this way: “Energy storage technology is really the ‘secret sauce’ for the future of residential rooftop solar.” At AEE, we agree, but add that it could be the secret sauce for numerous other applications – on both sides of the meter. That makes energy storage a key  technology for modernizing the energy grid and leading to an advanced energy future.

The secret sauce of energy storage is leading states from coast to coast to take action. The map below shows 89 state regulatory and legislative actions taken on energy storage recently. Clearly there is no shortage of interest. (Click the full screen button for a clearer view.)

Here are some highlights: the California Public Utilities Commission adopted an $8.7 million energy storage request for offers for Southern California Edison to address reliability concerns from the Aliso Canyon natural gas leak; the Public Utility Commission of Oregon opened a proceeding to develop energy storage program guidelines, consider project proposals, and implement a procurement program; the Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved a $9.1 million investment for two energy storage projects as part of Xcel Energy’s Innovative Clean Technology Projects Program; and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center partnered on a $10 million energy storage initiative to advance the energy storage industry and accelerate deployment of commercial storage technologies.

Falling prices, advances in system integration, and more sophisticated rate designs are driving growth in the burgeoning energy storage market, which grew more than tenfold in the U.S., from $57 million in 2014 to $734 million in 2015. But even that does not explain why energy storage is the hot topic in energy today.

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Recently completed big battery projects in various parts of the world offer a taste of what’s to come in 2017 for large-scale energy storage.

Last Friday, AltaGas Ltd. officially opened the Pomona Energy Storage Facility, situated in the East Los Angeles Basin of Southern California. At 20 megawatts of electricity storage capacity, AltaGas Ltd. says it is currently the largest battery storage facility in operation in North America.

AltaGas will be able to provide Southern California Edison (SCE) with the 20 MW of  capacity for a continuous four hour period as required. This represents the equivalent of 80 MWh of energy discharging capacity; which it says is enough to provide the electricity needs of approximately 15,000 homes over the four-hour period.

“Providing energy from electricity stored in lithium-ion batteries provides clean reliable energy that complements California’s renewable energy portfolio while adding to the versatility of our asset base which is well situated for pursuing other energy storage developments,” said David Harris, President and CEO of AltaGas.

While the company says the project is the largest in North America, it may be a title it needs to share. Early last week, Electrek reported Tesla and Southern California Edison have completed a 20 MW/80 MWh energy storage facility at SCE’s Mira Loma substation; which uses the new Tesla Powerpack 2 .

Like the new Powerwall 2, the Tesla Powerpack 2 commercial energy storage solution features twice the energy storage capacity of its predecessor and also has new inverter; designed and manufactured by Tesla.

Elsewhere, Greentech Media reports India has launched its first grid-scale battery storage system, a 10-megawatt Advancion energy storage array designed for peak load management.

In related news, India’s first grid-scale solar energy plus storage tender reportedly attracted strong interest, with 13 developers submitting bids. The tender was for 5MW battery storage systems to be integrated into two separate solar energy projects of 50MW each at Kadapa Solar Park.

Over in Germany, the stage is also set for a very busy 2017. A recent study forecasts there will be a threefold increase in large battery projects this year, from around 60 megawatts last year to 200 megawatts this year.

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Until recently, the world’s most remote off-grid communities have relied on traditional diesel generators to supply their electricity needs. This has created significant cost and reliability issues. Sometimes, it can cost more to transport the fuel to the site than it actually cost to purchase in the first place. Should adverse weather disrupt travel then there is a risk of running out of fuel. Furthermore, the gensets need regular expensive maintenance.

For these reasons a growing number of communities are now turning to solar photovoltaics (PV) and wind turbines. And in many cases, they are adopting microgrid solutions in which the diesel generation and renewable plant complement each other. The aim is always to ensure the reliability and autonomy of the electricity supply and to optimize operating costs.

This is where a large scale lithium-ion (Li-ion) energy storage system (ESS) can play a vital role in mitigating the variable and unpredictable nature of wind and solar plants. The ESS can perform a number of roles, including control of ramp rates, power smoothing, power shaping, peak shaving and frequency regulation.

It is useful to consider the situation at a typical remote site. Using standard power electronics a PV installation might contribute up to 20 to 30 percent of the power that would be generated by the diesel genset during daytime hours. If we add dedicated software then the PV penetration could increase to 50 percent. For example, a 1-MW microgrid might accept up to 300 kW, but this could be raised up to 500 kW of PV in the best case. Since the PV output is limited to sunlight hours, highly variable and does not necessarily meet the required consumption profiles, its contribution to the overall energy mix is naturally limited.

However, when an ESS is introduced, it is possible to maximize the contribution of renewables, increasing the penetration and harvesting all of the PV power. Fuel savings of 50 to 75 percent then become a realistic possibility.

Three recent examples show how energy storage is now making an important contribution for some very remote communities.

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Following years of hype and underwhelming products, the plug-in vehicle market had a breakout year in 2016. Not only do consumers now have the option to buy an electric vehicle with more than 200 miles of range and pay less than US$40,000, but the year was littered with announcements of automotive OEMs committing serious resources to building their own electric vehicles – and not just compliance cars. Cost reduction in Li-ion batteries has enabled this revolution, as have better performing batteries optimised specifically for electric vehicles. Increasing Li-ion demand will help to continue to lower energy storage costs, but also bring up an important issue: what should be done with the batteries after they are used in vehicles?

Historically batteries are recycled, and the lead-acid battery remains one of the most recycled products humans produce, but the high cost of processing most Li-ion chemistries makes this process unprofitable. This has fostered interest in reusing batteries for other applications, mostly for stationary energy storage applications, which would delay but not eliminate the need for battery recycling. On the surface this seem like an excellent opportunity to recapture value that would otherwise be wasted in Li-ion recycling batteries. While this is true in some applications, there are several reasons why reusing EV batteries is not ideal for most stationary energy storage applications.

Complexities of second-life use

Reusing Li-ion batteries in second-life applications is not as simple as removing a battery from a vehicle then installing it directly into a stationary system. Before a battery can be reused, it first must be manually removed from a vehicle and the pack disassembled into individual cells. The cells must then be tested to determine the battery’s state of health, sending batteries without sufficient remaining capacity to be recycled. Even within the batteries suitable for reuse, cells must be sorted by similar remaining capacity, or else the second-life system performance would suffer. These are labor and energy intensive processes, but efforts in both academia and industry are underway to reduce costs. Introducing automation in the process will reduce time and labor costs, as will convincing battery manufacturers to use clearer labels and design for disassembly.

Even with better processing techniques there are some limitations to our current understanding of the second-life battery opportunity. As the first mass-market electric vehicle was released about six years ago, and few vehicles have reached the end of their life, there isn’t a clear indication of how much remaining capacity can be expected from these batteries after typical use. There will be further variation among the different chemistries being used in the Li-ion batteries: the nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (NCA) batteries preferred by Tesla are unsuitable for most stationary applications, even when new, due to poor cycling characteristics. Other chemistries such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) preferred by other manufacturers in batteries made by LG Chem, Samsung SDI and BYD are better suited for second-life applications.

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Energy storage should be properly valued and supported at federal level in the United States, according to a government document analysing and evaluating energy policy released by officials of the outgoing Obama administration.

The Quadrennial Energy Review (QER), a directive ordered by the president in 2014, is on its second instalment, with the first instalment published in April 2015. Although the name implies it be published once every four years, the review’s task force’s work is ongoing and therefore published in these instalments. The documents are designed to inform policymakers and will therefore undoubtedly be on reading lists for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration.

While the April 2015 instalment, titled “Energy, transmission, storage and distribution infrastructure” looked at pipelines, wires and other aspects of the whole energy network in the context of how it could be modernised “to promote economic competitiveness, energy security and environmental responsibility”, the latest instalment looks at these three key areas within the confines of the electricity sector. Titled “Transforming the nation’s electricity system”, the report projects out to 2040 and makes more than 70 recommendations that it says “must be implemented to optimise and modernise the electricity sector”.

Looking at electricity from generation to end use, the report lauds progress made in certain areas, such as the rapid growth of environmental technologies as an industry in the US, quoting that 1.6 million people are employed in this sector, raising revenues of US$320 billion and exports worth US$51 billion, according to 2015 figures. It also highlights that in the US, air pollution has fallen even as electricity generation has grown between 1970 and 2014.

Among other key findings, it also recognises the growing need for system flexibility as more variable generation from renewables is added to the grid, which is transitioning from controllable generation and variable load to variable generation. This requires better controllable load, the report states, and cites energy storage, along with fast ramping natural gas generation and demand response as among a “number of flexibility options”.

From an economic and industrial standpoint, the report finds that the proliferation and combination of distributed generation such as solar PV, smart home devices and electric battery storage is leading to new business opportunities, which it says will “require a wide array of skills”.

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Texas added energy jobs in November for the first time since Dec. 2014, when employment peaked during the oil boom and quickly fell as oil prices plunged.

Overall, Texas’ oil and gas industry has entered a recovery, as rig counts, oil prices and drilling permits rise, said Karr Ingham, an economist who compiles the Texas Petro Index, a mix of numbers that measure the health of Texas energy economy.

But while the state of energy industry is  improving, Ingham said, the recovery is likely to be long and slow. While the the November job gains are auspicious, they don’t begin to offset the tens of thousands of jobs lost during the downturn.

“Essentially, all we’ve done is stop bleeding at this point,” Ingham said .”But at least we aren’t continuing to bleed.”

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On 30 November 2016, the European Commission officially released its “Clean Energy for All Europeans” package, also known as “Winter Package” i.e., moving the EU to meet its climate change target with numerous legislative proposals to reform the EU energy market. This legislation will have an important impact on the electricity market and the development of renewable-energy going forward.

The European Commission wants the EU to be ahead on the global clean energy transition. For this reason the EU has committed to cut C02 emissions by at least 40 percent by 2030, while modernizing the EU’s economy, delivering jobs and growth for all European citizens. The legislative proposals include a new target for energy efficiency, achieving global leadership in renewable energies and proving a fair deal for consumers.

The Winter Package proposes an increase in the share of renewables in the energy generation mix to 27 percent, with half of this target being met via renewable electricity generation. With regards to energy efficiency, the European Commission proposed a target of a 30 percent increase by 2030 – a target slightly higher than the minimum 27 percent target which had been set by Member States in 2014. The Winter Package marks the beginning of a new energy revolution in Europe, recognizing that the region’s energy challenges have evolved over the last decades.

Since BREXIT, EU executives are seeking to highlight the advantages of being part of a unified bloc, with one of the executive priority being consumer right, pending to lower energy prices, reducing energy bills and removing barriers for generators to sell their renewable electricity and feed the grid.

For the time being, the EU executives have some work to do in order to show how the wholesale power market has dropped since the global financial crisis and the invoices of the end-user continue to increase around 3 percent year-on-year.

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