Key point: Based on the electricity cost formula released by the US Department of Energy, we have developed a calculator that can be used to calculate the full life cycle electricity cost of energy storage systems, to help people compare different energy storage technologies.
How much does energy storage cost?
Similarly, we assumed O&M cost for both energy storage systems to be 2 cents per kWh of the stored electricity. The capital cost for LIB ($350/kWh) in $/kWh basis is about 58% of the system capital cost for RFC ($600/kW) in a $/kW basis.
So, people simply adopted the simplest scenario to calculate the cost of electricity - dividing the installed cost by the number of cycles, which has also led to the current trend in the market that cycle times are the most important guide. Both producers and buyers prioritize increasing cycle times.
What factors should you consider when buying an energy storage system?
Another factor to consider is operating and maintenance costs. The cost of an energy storage system is not final when you purchase it—there are also the costs involved in keeping it up and running. These can be high, especially for certain batteries which require frequent maintenance.
Although useful and actively pursued, a generally accepted definition of a levelized cost of electricity storage, analog to the widespread used Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), does not yet exist. Such a measure could allow for simple verification of the economic viability of certain storage technologies in a given electricity market.
Can electricity be stored at a low cost?
Results show that electricity can be stored in many regions in the U.S. at very competitive costs, reaching as low as 16.6¢/kWh using RFC and 8.6¢/kWh using LIB using electricity purchased from California Independent System Operator (CAISO). These values are near the future targets set by the U.S. Department of Energy of 5¢/kWh.
What is electricity cost?
The definition of electricity cost is the total amount spent on the energy storage system over its entire service life divided by the total amount of stored electricity. However, in order to obtain effective numbers, it is still difficult to consider the issues mentioned above, such as operation and maintenance, power loss, and fund discounting.