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Over the last decade, the electricity sector has seen a significant increase in the number of residential battery systems, as well as increasing interest in using them to reduce demand during network peaks. Although there is an abundance of literature assessing this ability using modelled residential batteries, there is a lack of detailed assessment using deployed residential batteries. This paper analyses 1-min resolution data from 15 non-coordinated residential batteries deployed in Australia across 6 network peak demand periods. A novel metric was used to quantify errors in BESS load-following, which occurred when the batteries did not completely mitigate grid import and export even when they had sufficient energy capacity and rated power. On average the 15 batteries discharged around 25% of their rated power during network demand peaks, whereas those that load-followed discharged around 40%. Despite the small sample size, these results suggest that the outcomes from modelled batteries represent the ideal upper bound and the actual performance of some batteries is likely to be lower. This there is a need for more research into the actual operation of deployed batteries, and what this means for the current modelled findings regarding their ability to reduce demand during network peaks. • Analysis of operation of residential batteries (BESS) was performed using 1-min data. • Examined 90 cases of response from uncoordinated BESS during demand peaks. • In 44 cases, the uncoordinated BESS reduced household grid import on average by 90%. • Those BESS discharged on average 40%–50% of their rated power during the peaks. • Coordinating residential BESS may potentially double their demand peak reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Extraordinary declines in the cost of photovoltaic systems (PV), combined with a growing range of energy efficient consumer technologies (EE), has driven significant deployment of these two options in many jurisdictions. This deployment has proven to be a key way to mitigate the risks of catastrophic climate change. However, existing retail electricity arrangements can create mixed incentives for households contemplating investing in both PV and EE. This is caused by net metering arrangements that value self-consumption of PV generation far more than PV exports to the grid. This means that falling household demand due to EE may significantly reduce the financial value of PV. Meanwhile, the continuous cost decline of battery storage systems (BS) has encouraged more PV owners to consider storing PV exports to maximise self-consumption. However, there has been little research on whether the addition of BS could reduce barriers to the combined uptake of PV and EE. In this paper, real PV generation and electricity consumption data is used from numerous households in Sydney (Australia), together with a battery cyclelife model, to assess the financial outcomes of combining PV, EE and BS. The results indicate that EE can reduce PV system revenue, that adding BS to a combination of PV and EE generally increases PV revenue, that BS costs are still high for this residential application, and that the uptake of EE can result in deeper BS cycling which reduces the battery lifetime. Highlights • Energy efficiency (EE) reduces the household revenue from a PV system. • The addition of batteries (BS) increases the combined value of PV and EE. • Battery costs are still too high for this residential application. • The uptake of EE can result in deeper BS cycling which reduces the battery lifetime. • Overall, EE reduces the value of a battery in the presence of Time-of-Use tariffs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The penetration of distributed battery energy storage systems in electricity grids globally is forecast to grow rapidly over the next 10 years. These systems can provide benefits for the customers that install them, but also introduce new opportunities and challenges for distribution network operators. This paper presents an algorithm that optimises the sizing and operation of a cluster of battery energy storage systems in commercial buildings. It aims to either optimise the battery energy storage system independently to maximise the financial benefits for each building or coordinate them to maximise the value of reducing demand peaks for both the customer and the local zone substation. To achieve the latter, the algorithm assumes a certain percentage of the network deferment value associated with reducing the peak demand for the zone substation is passed through to customers. Scenario analysis show that the peak demand reduction and financial outcomes for both the building owners and the network result from a complex interaction between the customer and network load profiles, the tariff structure, the size and cost of the BESS, and the percentage of the network deferment value that is passed through. • Optimised battery size and operation for a cluster of commercial building. • Optimisation model included a deferment value (NDV) for reducing substation peaks. • Results showed that the NDV was effective in encouraging larger battery sizes. • Best outcome for network operators is when half of the NDV is shared with customers. • Not including the NDV can still result in beneficial outcomes for customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falling costs and supportive government policies have seen remarkable growth in residential photovoltaic systems in jurisdictions around the world. While there have been detailed studies of the financial attractiveness of PV for home owners under different policy and retail market arrangements, there has been less consideration of the impacts of such systems on some other key industry participants. In this paper we undertake an investigation of the annual short-term revenue impacts of PV systems for those households installing them, for their electricity retailers and network service providers (NSPs), and for all electricity customers more in general, in the Australian State of NSW. We use actual half-hourly PV generation and electricity consumption for 80 households in Sydney to estimate the ‘real world’ impacts of a range of former, current and possible future PV policy and retail tariff arrangements including gross and net Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT). We found that the short-term revenue impacts differ significantly for different commercial arrangements and, are highly variable and largely driven by the PV performance and its match with household consumption patterns. Results highlight that current net metering policies in Australia with low net FiT rates may provide only moderate revenue incentives to households, yet quite adverse revenue impacts on NSPs and retailers depending on the level of PV export. While NSP short-term revenue losses will likely involve increasing electricity tariffs in the longer term, losses for retailers may add risks to the profitability of household customers with PV. The challenge for policy makers is to facilitate socially valuable PV deployment whilst appropriately managing the impacts on all key electricity industry stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Estimation of energy and environmental social value for 61 residential PV systems. [•] Societal value of PV depends on the assumed level of the social cost of carbon. [•] Good performing systems offer net marginal societal benefits. [•] PV policies should focus on ensuring high PV system performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In April 2010, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced the deferral of his flagship climate-change policy, the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, after it twice failed to gain the support of the Australian Senate. The decision contributed to the curtailment of Rudd's premiership and confirmed climate change as one of the most toxic issues in Australian politics. Although deficits in policy design and structural obstacles caused by Australia's carbon-intensive economy were major obstacles for the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, it could have passed into legislation had more effective political strategies been used to counter political opposition. A policy network framework is used to explore these political obstacles and how alternative political strategies may help to counter political obstacles to and public concern about new climate policies. In conclusion, the wider merits of policy network and political strategy approaches for the analysis of national climate politics are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]