Independent energy expert resource and certification body, DNV GL, has been contracted to lead the effort to create a new performance standard for domestic-scale energy storage in Australia.
The proposed Australian Battery Performance Standard will help residential and small commercial consumers make more informed buying decisions and drive confidence in the nascent domestic-scale energy storage market.
Energy storage is a vital element to reap maximum benefit from variable renewable energy sources such as solar power. The role of energy storage in Australia’s energy system is expected to grow as the country will meet its 2020 Renewable Energy Target of 33,000 GWh of additional generation, according to the Clean Energy Regulator.
Following the growth of domestic solar to become a significant part of the energy supply mix, the addition of battery storage to these systems is expected to grow rapidly. The DNV GL-led project to develop a performance standard for these energy storage solutions is expected to provide a timely boost in consumer confidence to help drive commercial uptake.
To develop the standard, DNV GL has put together a consortium of leading Australian storage organizations including Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Deakin University, and the Smart Energy Council.
DNV GL will lead the project and prepare a draft proposal for the standard, provide input on the proposed testing requirements, drawing on its extensive experience with equivalent standards and insights from its battery test laboratories in the U.S. and Europe.
The project to develop the standard is jointly financed by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and the Victoria State Government.
ARENA CEO Ivor Frischknecht said a performance standard for home batteries will help Australian consumers decide what’s best for them.
“The difficulty for consumers to make a well-informed choice presents a barrier to uptake of battery storage,” Frischknecht said.” This project will give consumers a more informed choice and increased confidence in deciding to invest in home batteries and rooftop solar. This project will give people easy to access information on how reliable the batteries are and how well they perform over their lifetime in Australian conditions.”
DNV GL Vice-President Technology & Innovation for Energy Lucy Craig, said, “Energy storage is a vital component in the transition to a greener energy future, and through efforts of providing the industry with performance Standards, we are supporting the safe and sustainable development of the energy storage sector.
“We look forward to building on these efforts to create a vibrant and lasting energy storage market for Australia,” Craig said.
A draft proposal of the new standard is expected to be available within two years. The draft will then be submitted to Standards Australia for consideration to become an industry-agreed formal Standard. During this consideration process, the draft document will be made available as an industry best-practice guideline for parties developing or installing domestic-scale energy storage solutions.