A new industry standard for grid-connected energy storage systems is likely to be welcomed by the market, according to energy expert Jeremy Chang of Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com.
GRIDSTOR Recommended Practice was developed by environmental audit and certification company DNV GL to provide recommendations for the safe implementation and operation of grid-connected energy storage systems, and has been drawn from globally accepted regulations and best practices, DNV GL said.
The standard gives clear, practice-based guidance on energy storage safety, performance and operation, and goes further than any existing standards in covering the important criteria in these areas, DNV GL said.
Jillis Raadschelders, head of the renewables and storage department at DNV GL, said the programme would support the whole energy storage industry.
"By bringing together the most important and relevant standards and guidelines and combining them into one document, DNV GL and its consortium has managed to fill a gap in the industry to help our customers and partners maximise their possibilities, exceed their expectations and reach their regional goals for energy storage," she said.
GRIDSTOR is drawn from global regulations and best practices such as International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards, the company said.
Life cycle phases of energy storage systems are clearly defined along with corresponding activities, and the scope of responsibilities for each player in the industry is laid out, DNV GL said. This aims to create better relationships within the value chain, and to ensure expectations are "in sync", it said.
DNV GL started work on the project eight months ago through a joint industry project with seven other parties including technology producers, grid service providers, energy consultants, universities and 36 industry players, it said.
The company will offer support to customers to make sure they are compliant with the standard, it said.
Chang said: "The new GRIDSTOR Recommended Practice is likely to be welcomed by the fast-developing energy storage sector for establishing a new industry standard which brings together international best practice guidance and recommendations."
"Any energy storage solution which complies with these requirements will give the market confidence that the solution is robust and will deliver what is required," he said.
"For the UK, its publication is timely given the increased attention the market has been paying to energy storage, not only because of the role it can play in providing enhanced frequency response services that the National Grid announced last year it would be tendering for, but also because it is a sector of market which the government will soon be focussing on in earnest. As Amber Rudd recognised in her speech to business leaders on Wednesday this week, energy storage can make an important contribution to moving to a low carbon future and the government will be looking at developing a regulatory regime which effectively incentivises the increased deployment of energy storage solutions," he said.
UK energy secretary Amber Rudd told business leaders this week that the government will be looking at ways to support the growing energy storage sector, Business Green said.
"We need to do more on storage regulation, we're aware of it. We are going to be working to regulate it in a way that does give the incentives that was needed, because storage is a very important part of how we're going to manage our low carbon future," she said, according to Business Green.
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