Community Batteries — Will They Make A Difference? – CleanTechnica

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

---

In Queensland, Australia, Energex has partnered with Origin to trial community batteries in Ipswich, near where my daughter lives. We took a drive to find them. On the first try, we were able to locate and photograph one of the pole mounted community batteries. “Energex is connecting up to 30 batteries on our power poles and five ground mounted batteries to the low voltage electricity network in Raceview, Goodna, Flinders View, Silkstone, Bellbird Park, and Redbank Plains,” Energex explains.

Energex is “South East Queensland’s electricity distribution network provider. We’re a subsidiary of Energy Queensland Limited (EQL), a State Government-owned corporation, and we build, operate and maintain the distribution network in South East Queensland; from the New South Wales border north to Gympie and west to the base of the Great Dividing Range.”

Origin is an energy producer, generator and retailer — “an integrated energy company.”

Ipswich, a city of over 200,000 people just west of Brisbane, was chosen for the community battery trial because more than 35% of homes and businesses have rooftop solar systems installed. It is Queensland’s fastest growing city. Community batteries are more cost effective than building out extra poles and wires.

The pole-mounted batteries are 30kW/60kWh in capacity. The ground-level ones will have multiple modules placed beside each other. During high solar input in the middle of the day, excess power can be stored for use locally when electricity demand is high in the evening. Expect the duck curve to get flattened a little. You can watch the video here.

On our second try, we found a ground-mounted community battery.

However, I am informed that these batteries are located in the community but not owned or shared with the local community. “Just be aware our batteries aren’t community batteries, i.e. aren’t owned by and shared amongst a community.” Energex is using the trial to increase understanding of the benefits and challenges of “distribution-connected energy storage,” I was told by an Energex spokes person via email. One of the challenges might be communication, as my daughter did not even know the trial was taking place.

I searched the frequently asked questions and found this: Origin and Energex say they will operate their batteries in the interest of the local community: “This helps keep prices down, but it will not change what you pay for electricity compared to anywhere else.” They speak of future offers which may prove cheaper than a customer buying their own home battery. For example, they speak of the possibility of subscribing to use “a proportion of a battery. You will be able to ‘virtually’ store your excess solar in it during the day, and then draw it back for ‘free’ when the sun goes down. This is an alternative to selling your solar for a feed-in-tariff.”

Feed-in tariffs for new adopters are very low, so this may be a viable alternative depending on the cost of a subscription. Another piece of good news is the fact that renters without solar may also have some access: “In this case, Origin will charge the batteries with excess power in the grid during the day, and you can then draw that energy down during the evening peak. This is like a Clean Energy product and can be used to save more with time-of-use charging.”

Initially the batteries being used are lithium-ion technology, with technology trials using a vanadium flow battery, a zinc bromine battery, and an iron flow battery. These technologies are all from Queensland companies. The current batteries have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years and a recycling plan is already in place.

Where will these batteries be? The pole-mounted batteries are being installed on new concrete poles within 3 metres of property boundaries. “The ground level batteries will either be in the current service alignment of our electricity infrastructure, or on another site negotiated with your local council.” Each ground-level battery is made up of four modules — three house the batteries and inverters and one houses the control and communication hardware. The modules sit on a concrete plinth, with a total land requirement of five-by-five metres.”

Energex has answered the concerns of the community about safety. Since the community batteries have about the same energy storage capacity as an electric vehicle, Energex has pre-empted the possible FUD. I am sure they want to head off any possible community protest. So far, I am not aware of any. But who would fund the protests? But isn’t a battery up a pole as much of a threat as a battery on wheels?

Safety issues and the concerns of residents have been addressed. Risks are acknowledged. It is explained that all chemical or other energy infrastructure — like, for example, a petrol station — poses risks. Operational practices have been set up to minimise that risk. The batteries installed will use the latest technology and be monitored 24/7. “The pole mounted batteries will be mounted the same way our transformers are mounted; on a new sturdy, fire-resistant concrete pole within the normal three-metre service alignment.”

If there is an incident (for example: smoke or fire), observers are encouraged to stay well away, warn others, and call emergency services. “Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) have protocols in place to respond in the unlikely event the batteries’ alarms are triggered, for example, by a vehicle impacting the power pole, or a battery malfunction.” Energex has notified local fire crews to make sure they know where the batteries are.

One local quipped on Facebook that there should be bollards: “How soon before a Logan reject showing off how good they can drift wipes out the battery bank and we lose the lot?” Note that the ground-mounted battery we found was opposite a roundabout, across the road from the local high school — a prime drifting opportunity! There was no protection installed, as you can see. That bit of pool fence won’t stop much more than a toddler!

What about electric and magnetic fields? “EMFs can be produced by anything with electric current flowing through it, including the powerlines, or your home’s wiring system or electrical appliances. The powerlines or any of the equipment on the lines, like these batteries or more commonly pole-mounted transformers, however, will generally contribute little to the electrical fields that can be measured inside a house or nearby building. This is because the walls create a shield from the electrical field. To reassure you further, all the equipment Ergon Energy Network / Energex uses and installs onto our network must comply with strict industry standards. Further information on EMFs can be found here.”

What’s in it for me? For the distributor, a more stable grid and possibly less expenditure on poles and wires. For the retailer, it appears that they are trying to create another income stream. For the customer? At this point, it appears very little. I have reached out to the local community on Facebook and been informed that the subscription price for the use of the battery does not make it financially feasible to opt into the program. Hopefully pencils will be sharpened and a better offer will be made to local consumers.

I live in hope that this will lead to a more stable grid and lower electricity prices. As we become used to the idea of batteries all around us, we will lose our fear of them. (No one is afraid of lithium-ion batteries in scooters, even though they have caused lots of fires in people’s homes.) So far, there have been no crowds of pitchfork-wielding citizens protesting about putting bombs in the burbs. I hope it stays that way.