Australia Leading Solar PV plus Storage Innovation

Improvements in technology and cost have allowed solar PV plus storage systems to become an attractive investment in many parts of the world. However, what remains to be determined are the optimal business models to unlock the full value of these systems. Pairing solar PV directly with energy storage holds the potential to dramatically transform the electricity industry and provide customers with cleaner and more secure power at a predictable price. Despite the potential, there has been little consensus in the industry on the best way to deploy these systems on existing grids and on how to overcome the significant barriers that the required upfront investment presents. 

Although solar PV and energy storage systems (ESSs) have been paired up in microgrids and remote settings for decades, their integration into existing electrical grids presents new challenges. Innovative models for the ownership and operation of these systems are being explored around the world, driven in part by the increasing funding flowing into the distributed energy industry. Australia has been at the forefront in the development of distributed energy resources, and two recently announced projects in the country offer different paths forward.

Dueling Approaches

In early adopter markets around the world, two primary models for deploying solar PV plus storage systems are emerging. Many stakeholders in the industry believe the optimal way to deploy these systems is through incumbent utilities and electricity providers that can leverage technical experience and access to financing. The recently developed suburb of Alkimos Beach in Western Australia was seeking a community-scale solution to help manage an increasing number of distributed solar PV systems and limit the need for new infrastructure to serve its growing population. The neighborhood elected to work with local energy provider Synergy to deploy a 1.1 MWh lithium ion ESS that is being fed by over 100 solar PV systems located on rooftops throughout the area. In addition to reducing costs for customers, managing the intermittency of PV generation, and limiting the need for new infrastructure, the project provides Synergy an opportunity to use community engagement as a way of combating the threat of grid defection.

Alkimos Beach is not the only community in Western Australia exploring innovative ways to harness the power of the solar PV plus storage combination. The community of White Gum Valley has chosen a different path toward a sustainable, local energy system both in terms of ownership and technical design. Most homes in the community will have both solar PV and battery ESSs onsite that will be operated in concert. In addition to the physical distribution of energy storage in this model, systems in White Gum Valley will be owned by the company managing most of the community’s apartment buildings. The company will act as a utility by owning assets and retailing energy directly to customers, a rare situation in Australia’s regulated electricity markets.

The Path Ahead

These two projects may provide some unique insights into how solar PV plus storage solutions can be optimally developed. They provide clear examples of some of the major debates in the distributed energy storage industry, such as whether it is better for systems to be centrally located or distributed, or if they should be owned by utilities or by customers. While it may take several years for these projects to illuminate the merits of one approach versus the other, they may be a sign of things to come as the distributed energy industry takes shape.