Solar Love
  • Rooftop Solar
    • Energy Storage
  • Solar Panels
  • Policy
  • Research
    • Science
    • Market Research
    • Solar Perceptions & Polls
  • Related Pages
    • Energy Seek: Business Electricity Prices
    • Energy Seek: Compare Business Gas
    • Energy Seek: Compare Energy Suppliers
    • OVO Energy: Energy Efficient Cooking
    • EDF Energy: Energy Efficient Lighting
    • Constellation: Energy Efficient Air Con

Solar Love

  • Rooftop Solar
    • Energy Storage
  • Solar Panels
  • Policy
  • Research
    • Science
    • Market Research
    • Solar Perceptions & Polls
  • Related Pages
    • Energy Seek: Business Electricity Prices
    • Energy Seek: Compare Business Gas
    • Energy Seek: Compare Energy Suppliers
    • OVO Energy: Energy Efficient Cooking
    • EDF Energy: Energy Efficient Lighting
    • Constellation: Energy Efficient Air Con
Energy Storage

Battery Innovation Center Will Focus On Home Electricity Storage

by Steve Hanley April 1, 2015
written by Steve Hanley April 1, 2015
Indiana officials and representatives from Duke Energy Indiana announce the creation of the Battery Innovation Center in southern Indiana

The new Battery Innovation Center (BIC) in southern Indiana will focus on issues related to home electricity storage and how grid operators can use that energy efficiently. The BIC is a collaboration between Duke Energy and the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC). The partnership is a shotgun wedding resulting from the settlement of a regulatory case brought by the OUCC against Duke Energy in 2012.

Indiana officials and representatives from Duke Energy Indiana announce the creation of the Battery Innovation Center in southern Indiana“Through this new partnership between the OUCC, BIC and Duke Energy, Indiana will continue to grow the public and private partnerships necessary to bring together the talent and resources to make our state a leader in energy storage,” Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann told the Green County Daily World.

Duke Energy is providing $1 million in funding for the Battery Innovation Center. At issue is how to manage the increased amount of electricity that will be generated by renewable power sources such as rooftop solar panels and small wind turbines in the future. Alternative energy is causing big changes in how our electrical grids are managed, particularly now that home battery storage systems are coming to market. Where once there were enormous central generating plants, now every roof top and open field is a potential energy source and “distributed energy” is the new paradigm.

“Electricity is a unique commodity because it must be produced at the exact time it’s needed,” says Duke Energy Indiana President Doug Esamann. “Technology that can store energy is a way to advance renewable energy sources such as wind and solar which are clean, but not always available when power is needed. We believe the research we’re announcing today can pay dividends for our customers in the future.”

The word “dividends” is key. Utility companies like Duke Energy pay dividends to their shareholders and bondholders, who made their investments based upon the assumption the electricity business model would stay more or less the same forever. “Distributed energy” will cause enormous changes in that thinking and some people are naturally worried about the safety of their investments. By the same token, industry executives are concerned for their jobs.

There will be some financial pain going forward. How to manage the changes to maximize the winners and minimize the losers is why organizations like the Battery Innovation Center exist.

Battery Innnovation CenterDuke Energy Indianahome electricity storageintegrating home electricity storage into the grid
5 comments
0
FacebookTwitterPinterest
Steve Hanley

writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Rhode Island. You can follow him on Google + and on Twitter.

previous post
SunEdison Launches Energy Saver Plan In The UK
next post
Solar Industry at Forefront of Egypt’s Economic Renaissance

You may also like

Solar+Storage Project Awarded In India’s Andaman Islands

April 23, 2018

Report: US Energy Storage Market To Triple In...

March 10, 2018

Nissan & Eaton Bring Residential Storage Batteries To...

May 8, 2017

NREL Releases Landmark Residential Solar + Energy Storage...

March 30, 2017

Solar + Storage Already Cheaper Than Grid In...

March 28, 2017

Sonnen Plans Atlanta Headquarters For US Residential Battery...

March 27, 2017

Musk Plan For Grid Storage In South Australia...

March 15, 2017

Tesla Powerpack Installation On Kauai Turns Tesla Into...

March 8, 2017

Nothing Can Stop Renewables Now: Top Energy Storage...

February 19, 2017

The Great Energy Disruption

February 14, 2017

Follow Me

Facebook

Recent Posts

  • Meet PVCase: A 3D Solar Design Software That Every PV Designer Should Consider

    June 12, 2019
  • Mitsui To Partner With Indian Company For Distributed Solar Projects

    June 10, 2019
  • India’s NTPC Offers Solar Project Management Services To ISA Members

    June 9, 2019
  • Equinor & Scatec Solar Complete 162 Megawatt Brazilian Solar Plant

    November 29, 2018
  • Gamesa Awarded 400 Megawatt Solar Project In Egypt

    November 29, 2018
  • Facebook

@2019 - All Right Reserved solarlove.org


Back To Top