The Energy Networks Association (ENA) has urged Standards Australia to develop in depth standards for battery storage to speed up its adoption in Australia.
In its submission to Standards Australia, ENA said comprehensive standards could revolutionise the country’s energy system.
ENA Chief Executive Officer John Bradley said energy networks recognise the significant role that energy storage can play in the future of Australia’s energy mix.
“Australia is a global hotspot for battery storage – our market is a focus for international storage leaders,” Mr Bradley said.
“A robust standards framework can pave the way for the early, economic integration of this innovative technology into the grid.”
Mr Bradley said the energy storage standards project was a priority for Australia’s energy system due to the pace of technology adoption and the rate at which energy storage costs were falling.
“Storage costs are rapidly falling and energy management software is getting smarter, increasing the potential benefits to energy utilities and electricity customers,” Mr Bradley said.
“Energy networks welcome the initiative of Standards Australia and the Clean Energy Council to set out a clear plan for developing storage standards in a timely way.
“Australian energy networks are trialling the deployment of small-scale battery storage in diverse trials, assessing its ability to improve the efficiency, reliability and safety of the grid.
“With the right incentives, customers with energy storage systems could benefit by providing energy on demand to the network to get more value from their battery.”
Mr Bradley said it would be important to establish storage standards addressing performance measurement and installation safety in Australia’s unique environment.
