Time-of-use and time-of-export tariffs for home batteries: Effects on low voltage distribution networks

Time-of-use electricity tariffs are gradually being introduced around the world to expose consumers to the time-dependency of demand, however their effects on peak flows in distribution networks, particularly in areas with domestic energy storage, are little understood. This paper presents investigations into the impact of time-of-use and time-of-export tariffs in residential areas with various penetrations of battery storage, rooftop solar PV, and heat pumps. By simulating battery operation in response to high resolution household-level electrical and thermal demand data, it is found that home batteries operating to maximise cost savings in houses signed up to time-dependent tariffs cause little reduction in import and export peaks at the low voltage level, largely because domestic import and export peaks are spread out over time. When operating to maximise savings from the first three-tier time-of-use tariff introduced in the UK, batteries could even cause increases in peak demand at low voltage substations, if many batteries in the area commence charging at the start of the overnight off-peak price band. Home batteries operating according to time-dependent electricity tariffs significantly miss out on the potential peak shaving that could otherwise be achieved through dedicated peak shaving incentives schemes and smarter storage control strategies

Governing effective and legitimate smart grid developments

Smart grids which use Information and Communication Technologies to augment energy network management have been developed in several locations including London and Stockholm. Common rationales for smart grids include: de-carbonising energy supply, maintaining security of supply and promoting affordability. However, beyond these general abstractions, smart grids seem to exhibit considerable diversity in terms of their characteristics and rationales for development. Thus, while the term smart grid may imply abstract notions of what smart grids are and might do, they are developed in response to local contingencies and diverse. In this paper we therefore explore the governance processes through which smart grids are constructed. The paper suggests that standardising smart grids through definitions and best practices that fix both problems and solutions should be avoided. Rather governance processes should be promoted in which local contingencies can be articulated and more legitimate smart grids developed in response to these

Non-traditional business models for city-scale energy storage: evidence from UK case studies

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Economia e Politica Industriale. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40812-017-0083-8.This paper investigates emerging non-traditional business models for decentralised energy systems with a focus on the role of city-scale storage technologies. We discuss the key characteristics of the different business models which have been identified in the literature and we discuss case studies across the United Kingdom in order to illustrate the key factors which influence their adoption and implementation. On the basis of evidence from recent UK case studies we investigate the market and regulatory barriers, contractual and transactional issues which may prevent key actors from exploiting the full market potential of their assets. We find that emerging business models rely on a range of different revenue sources with some limitations due to complex contractual relations, regulatory barriers and limited access to markets for ancillary services. The evidence we provide can be used by companies and organisations intending to operate in this fast developing market and inform policymakers aiming to promote the expansion and improvement of emerging business models