Comments on: Why Battery Storage Should Be A No Brainer — Take Two

By: Bob_Wallace

Bob_Wallace — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 16:27:00 +0000

AC use continues after the Sun drops out. The extra infrastructure might not be needed as much during midday, but late afternoon it is required.

Storing enough juice to run ACs will not be cheap.

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 13:32:00 +0000

In addition, it would be nice to see the total cost comparison to include the estimate for adding PV alone, which generates at peak hours when A/C loads are highest. The utilities are claiming that PV owners getting FIT don’t pay their fair share of the infrastructure costs, but PV allows for some cost avoidance. How much I don’t know.

By: Betty Jo Hvistendahl

Betty Jo Hvistendahl — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 22:59:00 +0000

If we consumers could get a pay back on the storage, some of us could cover the up front costs as an investment. There is no need to offer free – just offer a deal too good to resist!

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 19:03:00 +0000

If the statement “each 2kVa air conditioning system requires around $7,000 of added infrastructure investment – made up for $4,000 in distribution (in neighbourhoods), $1,400 in transmission (from the central coal fired power station), and $1,600 in generation costs (gas fired peakers).”

And there was someone to worry about the real system costs. It would be better to give away free a $5k battery system that had demand response built in. To anyone who buys/has a AC. And the grid upgrade cost are cut by $2k per AC. And as the price drops the saving grows. But the risk to the utilities is that once you are very far down this road, the exist peaking plants are no longer needed.

Ok, if you give them free, you have a lottery based on getting them into the area that are most helpful to avoid the distribution/transmission cost. Sounds like a good use of the carbon tax funds. Yes, maybe if you get one you have to agree to stay on the grid.