BATTERIES FOR SOLAR ENERGY SHIFTING TO PEAK HOURS

Hawaii has increased its PV solar systems in recent years. The energy is generated mostly between 10 am and 2 pm, whereas peak demand is later in the evening. Battery systems have been installed to shift a part of the solar energy to peak hours.

https://hawaiienergy.com/about/get-the-facts

Here is a description of a PV solar/Battery system combo.

 

In Kauai, Hawaii, there is a 52 MWh of battery system, supplied by Tesla, combined with a 13 MW field-mounted PV solar system. Tesla and its subsidiary, Solar City, own the entire installation.

 

If daily solar production is 13 MW x 0.5 x 4 h = 26 MWh from 10 am to 2 pm, and 10 MWh could be used during that time, then 16 MWh would need to be shifted to peak hours. About 16 - 18% (loss) = 13.1 MWh would arrive at user meters, less transmission and distribution losses.

Battery system losses: 7%, charging + 7%, discharging + 3%, DC to AC conversion + 1%, balance of plant* = 18%.

* Electricity for lighting, HVAC, electronics, etc., drawn from a nearby distribution grid.

 

About half, or less, of the battery capacity, MWh, is available for daily energy shifting. Thus, if 25 MWh is available each day, shifting 16 MWh is a reasonable “day’s work”. Total shift would be 13.1 x 365 = 4689 MWh/y at user meters, less transmission and distribution losses.

 

Turnkey capital cost of the battery system 52000 kWh x $400/kWh = $20.8 million, based on Musk, CEO of Tesla, quoting battery packs at $250/kWh, and turnkey systems at about $400/kWh.

 

Just to recover capital costs, the cost of the energy shifting is ($20.8 million x 150/400)/(4689 MWh/y x 40 y) = $41.59/MWh, or 4.16 c/kWh, based on a life of 40 years of the balance of plant, plus ($20.8 million x 250/400)/(4689 x 15 y) =  $184.83/MWh, or 18.48 c/kWh, based on a life of 15 years of the batteries.

 

If other costs, such as interest, return on investment, taxes, insurance, O&M, repairs and replacements, etc., were included the cost likely would be about 25 to 30 c/kWh. This cost likely would be reduced by subsidies of up to 50%.

 

Revenues from the sale of electricity, and revenues from capacity and ancillary services the batteries may provide would enable Tesla to sell STEADY electricity at 13.9 c/kWh under a long-term contract.

http://www.computerworld.com/article/3183566/sustainable-it/tesla-b...

NOTE: Hawaii has the highest household electric rates in the US, about 33 c/kWh in 2017, whereas the US average was 11 - 12 c/kWh and the New England average was about 18 c/kWh, including taxes, fees and surcharges.

This cost may be all, or partially, offset, because a grid operator would charge the utility less for capacity charges, due to the utility shaving its demand on the grid during peak hours; these hours usually have high capacity charges.

Also, the wholesale price of electricity is usually higher during peak hours than during other hours. Utilities have power purchase agreements, PPAs, for almost all of their electricity supply. However, if a utility would have a need to buy some of its electricity on the wholesale market, then that utility would reduce its wholesale purchases during peak hours, due to the supply from the battery system.  

Views: 233

Comment

You need to be a member of Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine to add comments!

Join Citizens' Task Force on Wind Power - Maine

 

Maine as Third World Country:

CMP Transmission Rate Skyrockets 19.6% Due to Wind Power

 

Click here to read how the Maine ratepayer has been sold down the river by the Angus King cabal.

Maine Center For Public Interest Reporting – Three Part Series: A CRITICAL LOOK AT MAINE’S WIND ACT

******** IF LINKS BELOW DON'T WORK, GOOGLE THEM*********

(excerpts) From Part 1 – On Maine’s Wind Law “Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine if the law’s goals were met." . – Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, August 2010 https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/From Part 2 – On Wind and Oil Yet using wind energy doesn’t lower dependence on imported foreign oil. That’s because the majority of imported oil in Maine is used for heating and transportation. And switching our dependence from foreign oil to Maine-produced electricity isn’t likely to happen very soon, says Bartlett. “Right now, people can’t switch to electric cars and heating – if they did, we’d be in trouble.” So was one of the fundamental premises of the task force false, or at least misleading?" https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/wind-swept-task-force-set-the-rules/From Part 3 – On Wind-Required New Transmission Lines Finally, the building of enormous, high-voltage transmission lines that the regional electricity system operator says are required to move substantial amounts of wind power to markets south of Maine was never even discussed by the task force – an omission that Mills said will come to haunt the state.“If you try to put 2,500 or 3,000 megawatts in northern or eastern Maine – oh, my god, try to build the transmission!” said Mills. “It’s not just the towers, it’s the lines – that’s when I begin to think that the goal is a little farfetched.” https://www.pinetreewatchdog.org/flaws-in-bill-like-skating-with-dull-skates/

Not yet a member?

Sign up today and lend your voice and presence to the steadily rising tide that will soon sweep the scourge of useless and wretched turbines from our beloved Maine countryside. For many of us, our little pieces of paradise have been hard won. Did the carpetbaggers think they could simply steal them from us?

We have the facts on our side. We have the truth on our side. All we need now is YOU.

“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

 -- Mahatma Gandhi

"It's not whether you get knocked down: it's whether you get up."
Vince Lombardi 

Task Force membership is free. Please sign up today!

Hannah Pingree on the Maine expedited wind law

Hannah Pingree - Director of Maine's Office of Innovation and the Future

"Once the committee passed the wind energy bill on to the full House and Senate, lawmakers there didn’t even debate it. They passed it unanimously and with no discussion. House Majority Leader Hannah Pingree, a Democrat from North Haven, says legislators probably didn’t know how many turbines would be constructed in Maine."

https://pinetreewatch.org/wind-power-bandwagon-hits-bumps-in-the-road-3/

© 2024   Created by Webmaster.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service