Tag: renewableenergy

Not all battery inverters are equal

Posted on by Linda

With the installation of energy storage systems most people look at the battery and concentrate on that but in reality the battery inverter is an integral part of any energy storage system and will dictate much of the energy storage systems operations.

Often when an energy storage system isn’t working properly the fault lies with the inverter and not the battery.

Inverter power is measured in kVA or volt amps.

The battery inverter takes power from the solar PV array (solar inverter or MPPT) and battery which can be of different voltages and converts it to 240V for household of business use.

Solar inverters are designed to work with solar PV arrays and battery inverters are designed to work with energy storage batteries. Hybrid inverters are also coming onto the market that combine both solar PV and battery conversions.

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Salt batteries – the only chemistry UL9540A certified for safety

Posted on by Linda

More and more people are recognising that one of the major issues with energy storage batteries are the dangers with fires and explosions particularly associated with thermal runaway (self-sustaining fires). This has become particularly relevant as people are considering installing the many lithium ion battery technologies in their houses or businesses and are becoming aware of the possibility of the dangers associated with this.

Standards Australia has been working on new installation standards “AS-NZ 5139_2019” which will try and address this issue but there is still a lot of discussion around whether the new installation restrictions are too strict or are really looking at individual battery characteristics correctly and fairly.

International Standard “UL9540A” has been developed to independently examine Fire Risk with Battery Cells and Evaluate Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems.

Salt batteries – the only chemistry UL9540A certified for fire safety
Continue reading “Salt batteries – the only chemistry UL9540A certified for safety” →

Questions to ask about installing an energy storage system

Posted on by Linda

Most people that are looking at installing an energy storage system (battery and battery inverter) don’t realise that every installation is different and there is no one size fits all. Installations are very dependent on whether there is already solar PV in place and the current electrical wiring situation at the premises.

With solar PV installations as long as you have suitable roof space you can install a system and the questions that need deciding are finding a reliable supplier / installer, working out the size of the PV system needed according to electricity usage and roof space and the size of the inverter required.

With an energy storage system it is much more complicated. Among the considerations are;

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Accelerating Climate Action

Posted on by Linda

Amongst the G20 countries, Australia’s emission reduction target – a reduction of 26-28% on a 2005 baseline – is unusually weak, nowhere near what is required for us to play our fair share in meeting a 2°C Paris target.

The impacts that we are experiencing now at a ~1°C rise in average temperature are the forerunners of rapidly escalating risks as the temperature rises towards 2°C and beyond. An overview of these risks – worsening extreme weather, damage to natural ecosystems, disproportionate impacts on the poor and vulnerable – is given by the ‘burning embers diagram’ of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The series reveals a striking trend – as the science of climate impacts advances, severe impacts are now expected at more modest increases in temperature
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Why will I choose energy storage batteries?

Posted on by Linda

 

There are a variety of reasons that people choose to make use of battery storage. In the domestic market the most common ones are to reduce the price they are paying for ever increasing electricity costs by shifting power from their solar panels collected during the day to when it is needed at night.

There are many other people for whom the desire to be energy independent is the driving force, even if they still stay connected to the grid. This may be because of dissatisfaction with treatment from power companies or due to an unreliable supply. Continue reading “Why will I choose energy storage batteries?” →

Problems and Solutions solved with energy storage

Posted on by Linda

One of the biggest problems with the efforts to use renewable energy to produce large amounts of the energy consumed on a daily basis has been its inability to reliably supply power at the times it is most needed. This can and will be addressed with the installation of battery systems that allow households, businesses and energy network providers to store renewable energy for use at night or in peak periods.

Solar panels convert the sun’s rays into electricity during the day with maximum generation being between the hours of 11 to 3pm. Unfortunately, for most people unless you are home during the day 80% of this power gets fed back into the grid for very little return. Likewise, although energy generation through wind is now very efficient and cost effective the times when wind produces energy can be intermittent.

Batteries also reduce the amount of electricity that is exported to the grid from rooftop solar during the middle of the day. This has the capacity to significantly reduce variability and stabilise grid supply. Continue reading “Problems and Solutions solved with energy storage” →

Battery power rating

Posted on by Linda

Before purchasing any battery storage it is critical that you understand what you want to do with the battery. If you only want to shift some energy generated from your solar panels during the day to be used at night and don’t mind if you don’t have power when the grid goes down it isn’t as critical that your battery needs to be able to provide all the power you need.

However, if you want to be energy independent and want to have power in times of power outages (as most people do that purchase batteries) then you need a battery that is capable of running your house for a period of time. You need to consider your appliances and what you consider essential and determine what power will be drawn down by all of them. As can be seen in the above image you may need multiples of some battery technologies to accomplish this which may greatly increase the cost of an installation. Continue reading “Battery power rating” →