Batteries and Energy Storage
The deployment of solar panels enables homeowners and small businesses to produce their own energy. It follows that as the power is produced during the day, it may be good to store it for nighttime use. Cometh the need – cometh the battery!
Crucially for Victor Harbor the CAP report identifies Victor Harbor's peak power demand occurring at midnight as all the hot water services come on under J tariff. Batteries offer the ability to trap solar power generated daily, for use at night. This will prove advantageous as energy companies are turning to "time of use" charging so that consumers with electric hot water services will pay more while they are asleep.
New houses in SA can not install electric hot water services so the cheaper J tariff will be replaced by time of use charges which could go as high as 60c per kWh. Batteries will avoid much of this increased cost.
Yes, initially they will be expensive but many local farms being off grid use them. So the principle is proven. It is now a matter of cost reduction with increased take-up. That is, as more people adopt battery technology – the cheaper batteries will become.
It is anticipated that Council's research and development initiatives with Adelaide University will hasten that process.
Click here for Breifing Overview: Renewable Energy Storage - Batteries 
(PDF 56 KB)
