What is a big battery?

Big batteries or ‘grid-scale’ batteries are a versatile, cost competitive and exciting new technology changing the landscape of Australia’s electricity grid. A big battery is made up of rows of chemical (usually lithium ion) batteries installed together and connected to the grid via inverters.

Why do we need big batteries?

Likewise, the masterful employment of big batteries in our new energy grid is a also key to spreading and balancing electricity loads, and enabling the expansion of renewable energy. Big batteries are a versatile, cost competitive and exciting new technology changing the landscape of Australia’s electricity grid.

Where do bigbattery batteries come from?

Most of BigBattery’s supply comes from manufacturers’ overstock, but they also take in secondhand car, e-bike, and scooter batteries. Then BigBattery’s 130 employees break them down and recombine them. The full assembly process for one of BigBattery’s larger battery packs.

Why do big batteries have more inertia?

More inertia means there is more time available to respond, react and counter a disturbance. Big batteries are clever, thanks to the smart inverters that connect them to the grid. Inverters convert the power from the wind or solar farm from Direct Current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) which is usable on the grid.

How long can a big battery last?

Big batteries with up to about four hours of storage will increasingly be able to deal with hot summer evening peaks – when everyone comes home and turns on their air conditioners, electric stoves and TVs and demand surges for a few hours.

Why is a larger battery better than a longer range?

While longer ranges promise autonomy and convenience for the driver, the associated larger battery increases energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions over a vehicle’s lifetime. Furthermore, it increases the overall vehicle’s costs due to higher purchase price and operational expenses.