Current by GE and Sparkplug have the right idea in Energy Storage

by: Donald E. Bowen, Jr., PLS

      Principal

My trip to San Diego and recent pursuit of large utility scale energy/battery storage is a work-in-progress that I am very confident will come to fruition similar to wind and solar PV.  The intermittencey of renewable energy, specifically large scale wind and solar PV along with the need for greater grid resiliency given the growing threat from climate change obviate this emerging opportunity. 

Homeowners seeking protection from grid outages and for safety reasons will increasingly pursue battery storage for their homes in lieu of generators due to the readiness capability and minimal/no cost maintenance. 

Large institutional, commercial and utility scale installations and deployment will quickly recognize the return on this investment.  Energy storage will be big.  Very big. 

http://cleantechnica.com/2015/10/08/what-will-drive-growth-of-stationary-battery-energy-storage-systems/?utm_source=Cleantechnica+News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=164e377f14-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-164e377f14-332042853 

We see significant financial support and regulatory mandate for large scale energy storage in CA which it is often where adaptive innovation originates - then spreads across the country.

We are already witnessing demand rising in the New England region for large scale energy storage.  Companies from around the world are investing Billions into a wide range of technologies especially in the US, South Korea, Japan, China and Germany.   The article below illustrates the major organizations such as GE are well under way positioning themselves to seize the business opportunities in this industry. 

A dramatic drop in the cost of high density battery technology will be compressed to next 3-5 years in the global race toward large scale energy storage similar to the precipitous drop of solar panel manufacturing over the last 8-10 years.  

"To create Current, GE is combining its light-emitting diode, or LED, business with its solar, energy storage, and electric vehicle businesses."

"....Sean Becker, owner of the Somerville energy-storage startup Sparkplug Power, said he can understand why GE chose Greater Boston over Schenectady. The labor pool here is deeper, he said, and it’s easier to persuade talented workers to be in Boston than in upstate New York."

This highlights this rapidly moving industry:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/uciliawang/2015/03/05/sunedison-buys-energy-storage-startup/