Energy security

Energy security and a reasonable cost for energy can be achieved with a number of design options.

One option for a group of homes with solar PV systems is:

• Share an energy storage system that begins each day holding enough energy to make up for any solar PV electricity shortfall.
• During the day use solar PV electricity for each household, only drawing from the energy storage system when demand exceeds the solar PV output.
• At night use a grid-based electricity generator for each household. "Top up" the energy storage system at night where it has supplied power during the day. 
• A number of projects and initiatives are exploring grid-based electricity generator business models. The University of Technology Sydney for instance:
  • "Building a level playing field for local electricity generation"
  • "Facilitating Local Network Charges and Local Electricity Trading"

Having a store of energy to use when you need it provides #energysecurity. Large scale #energystorage using a #vanadium flow battery. pic.twitter.com/DnKijJCLyd

— VSUN Energy (@vsunptyltd) December 22, 2016

The energy storage system provides energy security by supplying electricity whenever solar PV output is reduced by cloud cover.

It also supplies extra capacity for exceptional demand periods with both the energy storage system and the solar PV systems delivering electricity.

CoverTel Power is proud to announce
the first Imergy Vanadium Flow Power system has landed in Melbourne Australia

This is an alternative to gold-plating the electricity grid ("poles-and-wires") to provide extra capacity that is hardly ever needed. It is also an alternative to building power stations that sit idle for all but rare occasions when they are used to satisfy exceptional demand.

The electricity grid and grid-based electricity generators are used more efficiently because they service a consistent overnight demand. There is no need for costly "gold-plating" and expensive reserve capacity. Because of this electricity prices are reduced.

Electric vehicles can also be most conveniently recharged at night. This too improves energy security by eliminating dependence on imported transport fuels.

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