Important Issues Surround Batteries and Buildings

Posted

JFW_Tesla_WineryThe advances made by Tesla and other battery companies are creating great opportunities – and challenges – for people who build, distribute and manage these systems.

That was the overall message from Dale Pennington, the Managing Director of Utiliworks Consulting, who spoke last week at the German American Smart Grid Symposium in Chicago. One of the greatest challenges will be in using commercial-grade batteries in buildings.

In the future, an entire floor may be given over to energy storage. Many questions about security and safety must be researched and answered before such installations actually are made. Building management, first responders and others must participate in these conversations, Pennington said, according to the report on his comments at Forbes. He added that his firm is consulting with companies in New York City about the issues surrounding such building deployments.

The battery sector -- spurred by research focusing on mobile devices and electric cars -- is moving quickly. GTM Research predicts that 220 MW of energy storage will be created this year, according to Fortune, mostly from the manufacture of Lithium-ion batteries. The site calls 2015 a “breakout year for battery makers.” The story looks at the various ways that the batteries are being used.

Environment + Energy Leader