The October issue of pv magazine leads with an overview of some of the most interesting residential storage systems and strategies currently shaping the market.
Also included is the excited second and final installment of the
Subscribers can access the entire publication right here, but for everybody else there are as always three free articles to enjoy online, beginning with
Utilities vs. Solar
Often pitched as a "battle" between the two opposing stools of utilities and solar, the relationship between big energy and PV in the U.S. is actually rather nuanced and, in an increasing number of places, actually quite complementary.
There are naturally moments of conflict between the two industries, but a growing number of utilities are choosing to investigate the opportunities offered by the solar sector, rather than rail against it.
Christian Roselund explores this complex relationship in detail and finds, among the concerns, there has been a particular resistance to distributed generation solar (DG) in some U.S. states, with arguments abounding that net metering represents a cost shift from customers who own solar PV and participate in the scheme to those who do not have PV installed, essentially gaining from the grid while non-solar customers take up the cost.
Counter claims proved equally vocal, with DG advocates stating that many utilities do not take into account the additional benefits offered by rooftop PV, such as reduced transmission losses, lower O&M costs and deferred investments in new transmission.
Concerns over technical integration, dealing with the disruptive nature of increased solar power, as well as addressing regulatory barriers, are also explored, with the final word coming from Julia Hamm of SEPA who succinctly notes: "When you put yourself in the shoes of a solar company or in the shoes of a utility, both are fighting to keep their business alive."
Australia goes big with PV
A tumultuous couple of days in Australian politics in September culminated with Tony Abbott being ousted as Prime Minister by Malcolm Turnbull in a dramatic dethroning that could have positive consequences for the countrys clean energy landscape.
Turnbull is an avowed supporter of renewable energies, a stance almost completely at odds with Abbotts vocal support for coal.
So, with a new, solar sympathetic PM in place, what can Australia now achieve in the PV landscape? Already the residential solar penetration rates in the country are the highest in the world, but in a nation boasting big skies, plenty of space and excellent insolation rates, where are all the large-scale solar plants?
This curious blind spot was the result of regressive policies under the Abbott government that sought to limit the development of larger solar and wind farms, but as the political landscape shifts and solar supply chains mature, the attraction of such developments becomes more apparent, provided costs begin to fall.
"One of the answers that the EPCs give as to why utility-scale solar is more expensive than in places like Germany, Chile or even Dubai is that labor is cheaper in those markets," explained Theodore Dow of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC). "But if reduced costs can be delivered in other parts of the world, then in Australia surely those costs can be reduced."
Many experts working within the industry in Australia are adamant that PPAs will prove crucial in bringing advances in the large-scale solar sector, with investment creativity key if solar is to take up the inevitable slack once the nations older coal-fired power plants are phased out.
Melding with the market
Developing storage systems to augment solars attraction to the average homeowner has long been a key focus for most battery producers. The industry deals in slow and considered evolution, however, rather than revolution, but Teslas new Powerwall had the impact of accelerating the pace of discussion, if not yet adoption, of home storage.
For many battery specialists, the time is ripe for exploration of leading residential solar markets, with many leading developers now rolling out their new products in places such as Australia, Germany, the U.K. and parts of the U.S. markets with a mature residential solar industry and a growing need for self consumption.
Enphase Energy, Panasonic, Powervault, BYD and ABB are just some of the companies that have launched small-scale batteries in recent months, and Enphase director of storage Greg Wolfson told pv magazine that handling the growing excitement for storage is increasingly about meeting expectation, but also handling expectation.
"We must not over-position what storage can do right now," he said. "Too much storage leads to a diminishing return. We dont want to disappoint the market, and I think that is one thing the industry as a whole is going to have to pay close attention to."
—————————————————————————————————–
Popular content
Every month, pv magazine produces the world's leading publication for the solar PV industry, covering a wide range of topics in the most in-depth and insightful manner possible.
Want full, unabridged and informative access to EVERY article in EVERY issue of pv magazine? Then simply sign up for an annual subscription available in digital or print format.
This content is protected by copyright and may not be reused. If you want to cooperate with us and would like to reuse some of our content, please contact: editors@pv-magazine.com.
Share
By submitting this form you agree to pv magazine using your data for the purposes of publishing your comment.
Your personal data will only be disclosed or otherwise transmitted to third parties for the purposes of spam filtering or if this is necessary for technical maintenance of the website. Any other transfer to third parties will not take place unless this is justified on the basis of applicable data protection regulations or if pv magazine is legally obliged to do so.
You may revoke this consent at any time with effect for the future, in which case your personal data will be deleted immediately. Otherwise, your data will be deleted if pv magazine has processed your request or the purpose of data storage is fulfilled.
Further information on data privacy can be found in our Data Protection Policy.