Some interesting information on energy in the news
Post 2020, There May Never Be Another Peaker Built in the US
Energy storage just got a big vote of confidence from one of the worlds largest utilities.
by Eric Wesoff
September 30, 2015
NextEra Energy wants to be "the largest, most profitable clean energy provider in the United States," according to Jim Robo, CEO of the utility giant, at an analyst conference at Wolfe Research in New York on Tuesday. (Here's a link to audio from the event.)
But Robo also said, "We're starting to make very good progress in our energy storage business," noting that energy storage is one of "three growth platforms" at NextEra.
When a player like NextEra Energy, a Fortune 200 firm with utility revenues of $17 billion and 44,900 megawatts of generating capacity, starts to tout energy storage, the utility industry and the renewables industry take notice. Battery storage is the holy grail of the renewables business, said the CEO, adding, If we can deliver firm power to renewable customers at a cost-effective rate, youll see renewables explode even faster than they already are.
...Robo said that he and his team expect energy storage prices to experience a similar cost plunge to that of solar costs over the last seven years. If that happens, energy storage will be competitive with gas peaker plants.
Robo said, "Post-2020, there may never be another peaker built in the United States -- very likely you'll be just building energy storage instead."
"It is a great time to be in the renewables business," said Robo...
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/NextEra-on-Storage-Post-2020-There-May-Never-be-Another-Peaker-Built-in-t
Microgrids With 50 Percent Solar Do Not Need Storage
ABB says it is expanding the upper limit of storage integrated into microgrid projects.
by Jason Deign September 30, 2015
ABB has raised the upper limit for microgrid renewable-energy penetration without storage. Research by the company suggests up to 50 percent intermittent generation could be admitted to microgrids without needing storage, provided that automation systems are in place to keep the grid stable.
Traditionally, the upper limit for renewable energy penetration in microgrids without storage has been around 40 percent of total load.
ABB looked at a range of microgrid scenarios, including low-penetration setups where renewable energy covered up to 30 percent of peak load, medium penetration at 50 percent, and high penetration at 100 percent....
http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/microgrids-with-50-percent-solar-do-not-need-storage
Also see:
Price of Solar Energy in the United States Has Fallen to 5¢/kWh on Average
http://www.democraticunderground.com/112791738