By codifying a brief rule, NPRR 1186 would have meant battery vitality storage system (BESS) sources on the ERCOT grid would wish to carry – operators argued – extra capability than required when offering ancillary companies (comparable to ERCOT Contingency Reserve Service, Reg-Up and Reg-Down, Responsive Reserve Service or spinning reserve).
The foundations additionally meant BESS know-how was having its vitality provides monitored and mandated in real-time in a approach no different sources are. Operators stated it was an pointless limitation on their potential to function contemplating penalties exist already for failing to offer contracted ancillary companies, for all sorts of sources together with batteries.
Though the Fee’s commentary on NPRR 1186 and its causes for rejecting it are usually not on its filings register, commissioner James Glotelfty was quoted in native press saying:
“This presentation that ERCOT put collectively exhibits me one factor, actually, and that’s that each useful resource fails. So, singling out ancillary companies suppliers of battery storage is discriminatory. Fuel vegetation fail. Nuclear vegetation fail. Coal vegetation fail.”
Corporations that submitted filings opposing NPRR 1186 within the lead-up to the Fee’s choice final week had been BESS operators Engie, Aypa Energy, Eolian and Plus Energy (co-filed) and Jupiter Energy, in addition to environmental organisation Sierra Membership. Others that commented earlier within the stakeholder course of opposing embody operators Spearmint Power and Key Seize Power and vitality dealer Aspire Energy.
The one submitting in help of NPRR 1186 was oil and fuel main Shell, which operates thermal energy vegetation within the state (alongside some BESS). Thermal energy vegetation had been traditionally the principle supplier of ancillary companies, however have more and more been displaced by BESS that are faster-reacting, cheaper and (clearly) much less polluting. ERCOT expects the capability of BESS on its grid to develop to 9.5GW by October 2024.
Learn all of the filings associated to NPRR 1186, together with the businesses’ letters opposing or supporting it, and the Fee’s remaining choice, on its web site right here.
Power-Storage.information’ writer Photo voltaic Media will host the fifth Power Storage Summit USA, 19-20 March 2024 in Austin, Texas. That includes a packed programme of panels, displays and hearth chats from trade leaders specializing in accelerating the marketplace for vitality storage throughout the nation. For extra info, go to the web site.