Selecting the correct technology, type and vendor is important in establishing a successful battery-based energy storage system. Dean Middleton, director of sales for renewable energy at Trojan Battery, says this has led to customers more closely scrutinizing battery type and quality.
“Renewable energy customers are demanding that battery manufacturers validate their capacity and performance claims with independent laboratory tests,” Middleton says. “The long-term success of the PV industry depends on the integrity of all suppliers to accurately represent their products in the market, so false expectations are not created in the industry.”
Batteries are key components in many PV applications, so Middleton stresses that they should be high-capacity and deep-cycle to provide reliable energy storage. He’s glad to see the solar industry moving away from using batteries intended for other applications.
“Users quickly understand that non-solar-specific batteries don’t work in renewable applications and cost them more in the long run,” Middleton says. “They are not designed to withstand the rigorous use inherent in deep cycling, renewable-energy-storage applications. Over time, automotive batteries need to be replaced more often than deep-cycle batteries ultimately costing the end user more money over the life of the system.”
The solar industry is also considering the use of lithium batteries. Gary Baxter, VP of sales and marketing at Magnum Energy, explains that lithium batteries provide more power in a smaller, lighter-weight package. Lithium batteries also provide a steady DC voltage over the entire discharge rate of the battery.
Still, Baxter sees lead-acid batteries remaining popular. “Lead-acid technology has been around forever and is still viable as a low-cost solution,” he says.
Middleton agrees that flooded lead-acid battery technology will continue to be the “battery of choice” when price is the deciding factor. Absorption glass mat (AGM) and gel technology will continue to dominate applications where batteries are operating in remote locations and maintenance cannot be performed on a regular basis.
While the global market for battery-based PV systems is much smaller compared to the market for grid-connected PV systems, the battery-based PV market continues to grow steadily every year.
Middleton notes that the drivers influencing market growth for grid-tied and off-grid battery-based PV systems business are different.
“The grid-tied PV market is highly vulnerable to shifts in government and utility policy,” Middleton says. “Without subsidies and incentives, grid-tied PV systems have a long payback period and without those the market potential is limited. By contrast, off-grid systems typically provide power in remote areas that have no other cost-effective option for power. Under these circumstances, off-grid systems often are the only cost-effective power solution and have essentially paid for themselves from the day they are installed and operational. The market opportunity is significant, but not without challenges.”
The emergence of newer companies that have limited off-grid experience and continued competitive pressures of lower-quality products from China are a couple of the off-grid PV market challenges, Middleton notes.
Looking forward, Middleton says ease of maintenance and total cost of ownership will continue to be deciding factors when purchasing deep-cycle batteries for renewable energy systems.
Baxter believes energy storage in general will be the next requirement to fill to create a useful smart grid. SPW
dource: http://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2013/06/batteries/
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