A small amount of storage can be used to avoid a large capital investment and as a result, increase utility asset utilization, reduce financial risks associated with large lump sum investments whose capacity may never be used, conserve capital for other critical projects and most importantly, reduce overall cost to end users. Other important benefits of storage located at critical points in the distribution system include:
- Enhanced service reliability and power quality using active VAR compensation and voltage stabilization
- Load shifting, using low cost off-peak electricity for resale when electricity prices are higher, thus reducing market risk exposure to volatile on-peak prices and controlling high cost energy imbalance charges.
- I²R losses avoided by serving peaks with local supply and actively correcting power factor and maintaining system voltages.
- Relieve congestion and provide a "ride-through" for pre-positioned energy sources at bottlenecks - constraint relief and capital deferment.
- Provision of spinning reserves, reactive power, flicker compensation and black start capabilities.
- Base-load units can achieve additional off-peak power operating hours at higher utilization rates, raising the value of these assets - Load Levelling (Peak Shaving) - capacity extension.
White Papers & Case Studies
The following documents are in PDF format. To view a file, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader which is a freeware PDF viewer. If you don't have it, download Acrobat Reader here.
- VRB-ESS - Rural Feeder Case Study - (PDF document)
- Capital Deferral Case Study - (PDF document)
- T&D Brochure - (PDF document)
