Market feasibility study of utility battery applications: penetration of battery energy storage into regulated electric utilities

Although studies indicate there could be significant opportunities for battery systems in electric utility applications, markets for this and other dispersed energy storage technologies have been slow to develop. Prior analyses had suggested that the slow market development has resulted from reluctance to make the necessary investments on the part of both suppliers and customers. In order to confirm this and other concerns over the utility energy storage market, an assessment has been performed to estimate the potential penetration of batteries into regulated electric utilities. The estimates thus obtained confirm that the possible market for batteries on the utility side of the meter, approximately $280 million annually in 2010, is indeed smaller than indicated by the assessment of potential opportunities had suggested it might be. On the other hand, the estimates for possible market penetration on the customer side of the meter are greater than on the utility-side, particularly in the nearer-term. Of more importance than the numeric results, however, are the comments given by potential customers of utility battery energy storage, and the conclusions regarding ways to increase the attractiveness of utility battery energy storage that result from analyses of these comments.