EPRI Roles in Battery Commercialization. Final Report

摘要

Successful commercialization of advanced storage batteries requires interacting decisions by many parties. Potential suppliers must be willing to commit to production of battery systems, and utilities must perceive batteries as cost-effective supply options and must commit to purchase and installation. In addition, other parties such as EPRI and the federal government make decisions that facilitate or impede the market acceptance of batteries. In this analysis, we evaluate a variety of roles that EPRI might take in facilitating the commercialization of batteries. To evaluate alternative EPRI roles, a model representing the interaction of the decisions made by utilities, suppliers, the federal government, and EPRI with respect to the utilization and fabrication of advanced battery systems was constructed. By describing the interactions between supply and demand in the marketplace, it is possible to derive projections for the market penetration of battery systems over time and under a wide variety of assumptions. This leads to the determination of key entry markets. Using the multiparty model, which determines the impact of each EPRI role on each party, it is concluded that there are a number of positive alternatives for EPRI to consider. They include conducting information dissemination programs and forming users groups in key markets; defining and conducting appropriate demonstration programs; helping to identify early market opportunities both for load leveling and other utility applications; and facilitating the financial and institutional arrangements necessary to overcome barriers to battery utilization, such as the development of equitable performance guarantees. (ERA citation 06:020279)