The market for battery and supercapacitor storage systems for Smart Grid applications
will grow from $1.5 billion in 2012 to $8.3 billion in 2016, according to a
new report from NanoMarkets, an industry analyst firm based here. Additional
details about the report, Batteries and Ultra-Capacitors for the Smart Power
Grid: Market Opportunities 2009-2016 can be found on the firm's website at www.nanomarkets.net.
Members of the press may request an executive summary from the report.
Key insights:
NanoMarkets believes that new battery technologies will be needed to meet the
demanding storage requirements of the Smart Grid and that lead carbon, Sodium
Sulfur (NaS) and flow battery technology will take a growing share of Smart
Grid storage applications. Flow batteries show especial promise and NanoMarkets
believes that revenues from these type of batteries will reach $510 million
by 2016. Another technology that should be fully commercialized in a five-to-eight-year
timeframe is the ultrabattery which is an advanced lead acid battery that integrates
supercapacitor technology.
NanoMarkets' report says that initially current UPS strategies for retail electrical
supply will be extended for use in peak shaving applications. The second major
growth area for Smart Grid storage will emerge to provide grid stability for
intermittent generating sources -- primarily on-grid wind and solar. Battery-based
grid storage will also be a key requirement for microgrids for regions that
currently lack reliable grid infrastructure as well as for military support
applications.
Current national and international goals for alternative energy deployment will
not be met without extensive new storage capability installed in national grids.
Without such installation the required grid stability and peaking shifting capability
needed to meet these goals cannot be attained.
NanoMarkets believes that supercapacitor demand from the Smart Grid will reach
$1.1 billion by 2016. Because of their fast discharge rate and low maintenance,
the demand for supercapacitors will find their most extensive in frequency regulation
applications. The other area where significant growth for supercapacitors is
expected is in regenerative braking for grid-connected light rail systems.
About the Report:
NanoMarkets' report, "Batteries and Ultra-Capacitors for the Smart Power
Grid: Market Opportunities 2009-2016" quantifies the opportunities for
electrical storage for emerging Smart Grid applications. Battery technologies
considered in this report include lead acid, lead carbon, ultrabatteries, sodium
sulfur, flow batteries and lithium ion batteries, as well as supercapacitors.
This report also includes specific regional analysis of demand for storage in
Smart Grid for North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, non-Japan Asia,
and Japan. Applications for the Smart Grid that are considered in this report
include grid stability, frequency smoothing and peak shifting, microgrid frequency
regulation, grid -connected, light rail.
Detailed volume and value forecasts are provided for each application area
and storage technology. In addition, we have included profiles of influential
suppliers of Smart Grid storage products. Some of the firms mentioned in this
report include Axion, C&D technologies, Cellenium, Enersys, ESMA, Excide
Technologies, Firefly, General Electric, Geobattery, Maxwell Technologies, Nesscap,
NGK Insulators, Premium Power, Prudent Energy, Siemens, Sumitomo, TEPCO, Vfuel
and ZBB Energy,