Batteries and gas aren’t really comparable so I’m guessing this means batteries are expanded at a rate 10x higher than natural gas is being expanded, which makes sense because natural gas is such a mature staple that it doesn’t have that much opportunity growth.
Batteries are also not an energy source, but storage.
(Yeah I guess that’s technically true of all energy sources, but batteries are more like a tank than a consumable…)
Of course adding batteries to store energy from off peak renewables to ready them for the peak is the point of this, but I would point out I don’t think anything prevents charging batteries from fossil-fuel generated electricity. I wouldn’t be surprised if an economic equilibrium dictates this to be the case, even.
I think batteries will be highly valued equipment as a smoothing function to help reduce heavy load wear on any kind of generating equipment to help with peak loads, regardless of what’s charging them… possibly allowing fossil burning plants to run closer to a base load level at all times.
Per the article… Yes. Batteries are counted as a source by the EIA, not just the writer’s opinion. They can supply power on demand, so it counts. It doesn’t seem that gas is slow because it’s mature, but rather it’s just not as enticing. It says one single gas plant was added and provided just 2% of the increased energy production whereas wind was 7, batteries were 20, and solar was more than all of that.
Yeah my original comment here was a lot more breathy than it should have been. I’m not critical of the article it’s definitely uplifting and accurate. But I think new battery tech on the grid would see usefulness even if renewables weren’t inconsistent, but that’s a whole different topic I suppose.
