Energy storage lies at the heart of grid digitisation and is part of a larger trend of technologies that is disrupting South Australia’s network for the better, according to Terry Teoh, General Manager of Engineering at ZEN Energy.
Ahead of his presentation on monetising storage at the grid edge in Adelaide’s CBD at the Australian Energy Storage Conference, June 14 – 15 2017 at the new International Convention Centre Sydney, Mr Teoh said battery storage currently has strong market potential in South Australia and the National Electricity Market (NEM).
“Energy storage and the ability to perform peer transactions lie at the heart of grid digitisation and will drive the democratisation of energy, just as we are seeing the democratisation of services, media and R&D,” Mr Teoh says.
“Global experience shows that commercial behind the meter storage is challenging. Yet the market potential in South Australia, and more broadly in the NEM states, is significant.”
Mr Teoh and Zen Energy are undertaking a groundbreaking project demonstrating real-time optimisation and monetisation of battery storage in the NEM by connecting four high-profile Adelaide CBD buildings to 513kWh of behind the meter storage.
The four sites – the Art Gallery, State Library, Adelaide High School and the Adelaide City Council works depot in Thebarton – were chosen for their contrasting load and occupancy patterns, and their potential to apply battery storage in conjunction with solar and demand response.
In his interview for the Australian Energy Storage Conference, Mr Teoh said the $1 million project will play a defining role in opening up the commercial storage market, starting in South Australia.
“It will provide real implementation experience and benefit quantification of batteries located in commercial sites, monetising multiple value streams,” he says.
“It will turn a theoretical concept into a commercially executable reality for commercial and industrial customers looking for a lifeline to alleviate their energy price distress in South Australia.”
Zen has also been working on other battery storage projects including the ‘Big Battery Project’ which proposes installing a battery in Port Augusta capable of storing between 50-150MWh of energy. This is one of the projects aiming to address South Australia’s grid instability and the need for a backup if power is lost.
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