2024-11-22
Distributed Battery Energy Storage: How Battery Storage Systems Can Cause More Harm Than Good
While contemplating new technology investments, it is often worthwhile to consider if there are any unintended consequences. On the small scale it could look like this: If I buy a new iPhone, do I receive a more expensive phone bill due to increased usage? For battery investments, the unintended consequences have more to do with strategically controlling the charging and discharging.For the purposes of this article, the difference between direct and indirect effects center on the time in which they occur. Direct effects occur in conjunction with an event dispatch instruction (see Figure 1). An indirect effect occurs at some other point throughout the day (see Figure 2). These effects need to be understood and accounted for by the grid operator in order to provide adequate forecasts and properly identify the appropriate resource mix to balance generation and demand.