Abstract for: Utility Scale Battery Energy Storage System Risk and Reward Causal Model

Utility Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems are an important part of the transformation of the electric grid using Distributed Energy Resources that reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. They provide important capabilities; Reduced curtailment of electric from low cost renewable solar and wind resources Responsiveness to demand peaks and thus reducing the use of fossil fuel “Peaker” generators. Avoids capital investment for expensive generation and transmission/distribution projects. A Task Force was formed to constructed a presentation that exposed how to describe the safety risk of a Utility Scale Battery Energy Storage System. In that effort we determined that a Systematic perspective was needed to show the connection between the Risk and Reward and the underlying factors. Causal models were built to deliver this understanding and better prepare the presentation for the community. A community presentation has been created that will now be used to create the commensurate Outrage and Delight. We are preparing to give it to the community in the next 2 months and so feedback from it will be shared at the SDS Conference A ST perspective is needed to connect “Risk and Reward” and the underlying causal factors. Hazards, even when remote, are memorable when learned about from mass media, but even more so when they are personal experiences. Benefits that are based on avoidance of more extreme weather may not be effective influences. Causality is delayed and not readily connected to actions for a global problem where the impacts are globally distributed.