solar energy storage about to take off in germany and california - residential energy storage systems

Visitors to the North American Solar Conference in San Francisco last week could not help but notice the presence of a benign intruder: an energy storage provider.
Half a second-
The floor exhibition space in Moscone West conference hall is rented by the energy storage company.
According to Intersolar CEO Markus Elsaesser, the number of companies showing energy storage technology in Intersolar has increased from more than a dozen three years ago to more than 200 this year.
The proliferation of companies entering or expanding energy storage space is not accidental.
Bankruptcy, excess panel supply and declining feed supply
The tariff rate has shaken the photovoltaic industry.
Panel and system manufacturers are looking for ways to increase revenue, and energy storage may be a new source of revenue.
According to Elsaesser, the PV industry expects global revenue to increase by $10 billion through storage by 2017.
"The PV industry needs to look for a future pool of profits," says Marcus Horner, founder of the International Alliance for battery and energy storage (IBESA)
Said at a news conference during the festival.
"When we look at the photovoltaic industry globally, most of it is feed-
Driven by tariffs
It's about IRR [
Internal Rate of Return
Make money from photovoltaic systems.
Now, due to the low supply of feed,
In the tariff market, we are talking about saving money because the cost of the system is much lower.
"Homeowners in markets with high retail electricity prices want to protect themselves from rising energy costs by storing them," he said.
Take Germany as an example.
Matthias Vetter, a researcher at the Solar Systems Research Institute in fraunhove (ISE)
He also said at the briefing that he paid 26 euro cents ($0. 34)per kilowatt-hour (kWh)
Power grid in Germany. “A [rooftop PV]
The system owner that was installed 10 years ago, like my father, he still got 55 euros [$0. 77]per kilowatt-hour,” he said.
"He never thought he would install a storage device.
"But for German homeowners who have installed the new roof photovoltaic system, the economic incentives look very different.
After a series of scheduled cuts, feed
The tariff rate for rooftop PV is now 14 euro cents ($0. 18)
According to Hoehner, every kilowatt hour.
Therefore, homeowners who invest in photovoltaic energy storage can store electricity for later use and avoid buying electricity from the grid for 26 to 30 euro cents ($0. 30 to $0. 39)/kWh.
Hoehner acknowledged that after considering the current cost of battery storage, "even in Germany, investment in photovoltaic systems that do not have storage is more profitable.
But, he added, "it's getting more and more suitable [feed-in tariffs]
Will drive the attractiveness of photovoltaic storage systems "-as will government incentives.
In May 1, the German federal government launched a plan to provide up to 30% of subsidies for the purchase price of storage systems for installing new or existing photovoltaic equipment.
What about solar storage in California, and then compare Germany to another booming solar Market: California.
He said: "When we look at the price of the system . . . . . . The combination of PV and storage is being rewarded with a net positive net present value in the German market . ".
But, in California, "When you see the combined net present value [,
For photovoltaic and storage
There is no reward for the combination.
What causes the difference?
The price of retail residents in Germany is much higher ($0. 30 to $0. 39/kWh)
The cost of installing photovoltaic systems is lower ($2. 51/watt)
Than California ($0. 15/kWh and $5.
80/watt, respectively).
"The relatively low electricity prices in California and the high cost of photovoltaic systems are still obstacles to the large-scale market for photovoltaic storage systems," Hoehner concluded . ".
In the short term, systems installed by large commercial and industrial power consumers may drive the energy storage market in California more than those installed by homeowners.
"In many states in the United States, demand costs are quite high. S.
In California, the peak summer price for demand is $25 per kilowatt, "said Tom McCalmont, president of McCalmont engineering.
"The reduction of these kilowatts does not require too much to bring significant benefits.
He noted that advanced energy storage systems are eligible for incentives under California's self-generating incentive program.
California Energy Storage Alliance (CESA)
He said that he issued a proposal to advocate a combination of solar energy and storage and should be eligible for a federal investment tax credit as an energy system deployment. “With the [federal]
The return cycle for tax credits and self-generation rebates can be quite low.
"In order to save money through energy storage, large commercial and industrial facilities (including those already installed with solar energy), it may be possible to turn to the same financing tool that unlocks the California photovoltaic market: the electricity purchase agreement (PPA)and third-Ownership of the party
Stem Glauthier, vice president, customer development and operations, Stem
He says his company sells and leases energy storage systems.
"The first PPAs we will release will be funded by private investors rather than banks," he said . " He pointed out that banks are disgusted with new financing tools.
"You will pay on the journey and effectively 'Monet' from day one-more than you paid from the beginning --
Thousands of Watts continue to be reduced.
"We are developing these products, both as stand-alone products and paired with Solar Partners, which in fact incorporate demand reduction into their PPA," he added . ".