Gridstor, a project developed by energy consultancy and testing authority DNV GL to establish industry standards for grid-connected energy storage implementation, could fold due to lack of interest.
Launched in June 2014, the project aims to develop a practice through industry standardisation to drive the safe and secure implementation of grid-connected energy storage systems forward and to accelerate the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
DNV GL initially planned to go live in January 2015 with 15 industry partners. “We are currently deciding whether to continue or not,” Jillis Raadschelders, head of new energy technologies at DNV GL, told BEST. “We are searching for industry actors who are brave enough to take the project forward,” he added.
Raadschelders said that companies are generally favourable to the Gridstor concept, but so far have been shy to take the first step. DNV GL will continue to search for partners until the end of the year.
A DNV GL energy storage survey from January 2014, which explored existing energy storage standards, found the absence of market standardisation hinders the industry from demonstrating the validity of energy storage systems and increases the risk of damaging the energy storage sector as a whole.
The successful deployment of smart electricity grids requires clarity and widespread agreement on rules and regulations for energy storage systems, said Raadschelders. “The energy storage world and the utility world know exactly what they are talking about. We want to shape the gateway so they can understand each other,” he said.
