This report details a proposed Australian Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Performance Standard (ABPS) for batteries connected to residential or small-scale commercial solar photovoltaic (PV) systems.
Report extract
Australia has one of the highest proportions of households with PV solar systems in the world. With record high retail electricity prices (in 2019), comparatively low feed-in rates for exported PV energy and market competitive energy storage costs, the market for behind-the-meter battery systems has the potential to increase dramatically.
The two critical aspects of battery systems are safety and performance. As of 2019, Standards Australia has released ‘AS/NZS 5139 – Electrical Installations – Safety of battery systems for use with power conversion equipment’ [1] that mainly addresses the installation and safety aspects of battery storage equipment (BSE).
However, with respect to performance, there is no existing standard and presently limited information available to allow consumers to make an informed choice regarding the performance of BSE.
Currently, battery performance is determined by manufacturers, each utilising their own methods. Since the performance values are dependent on the measurement methodology, even simple metrics such as capacity, power output, and cycle life are not comparable between manufacturers. Further, the measurement methods currently employed typically are not reflective of how the BSE is used in the anticipated application. This can lead to situations where consumers believe that the systems are suitable for their intended application and then find performance and lifetime are well below expectations. A potential widespread loss of consumer confidence presents a critical risk for establishing a long-term, self-sustaining viable industry. The lack of ability to make an informed choice also represents a major barrier to entry for battery storage equipment and may restrict the adoption of this technology, which in turn will limit the effect of this important enabler of increased renewable energy penetration on the grid.