I commend to you all:
https://www.theguardian.com/technol...ng-straw-off-camels-back-for-sa-energy-demand
Key quote:
“Peak wind production is easily the cheapest way to charge the battery, and it stands ready to fill demand gaps if they emerge. The battery has been charging up overnight, when prices are very low and hitting the grid at the right time to keep price spikes lower than they would be otherwise.”
The highest value add for batteries are on windfarms and run of river hydro - arbitraging from very low value night production to daily peak and ending intermittency. Operated together, a battery will meets its cost of capital and deliver wind producers market maker prices.
Coal shares the night arbitrage window, but is in run off, being operated for cash and divestment. Widespread batteries deployed by others will likely lift their revenues anyway, for nil investment.
The revenue consequences are large and immediate. Even if batteries limit daily peaks to +20%, considerable value uplift remains.
A good-sized battery on any IFN windfarm on the eastern grid would influence the pricing of all linked plant. Bodangora will add considerably to this value uplift.
The order queue at the Samsung battery factory is years long. I hope IFN is well placed.
Ash
