Battery life considerations in energy storage applications and their effect on life cycle costing

The life cycle costing (LCC) approach is indispensable in justifying the use of energy storage systems, and in choosing between competing energy storage devices. To gain the proper benefit from this tool requires a proper appraisal of the impact of operating conditions on battery life, and a realistic appraisal of all costs involved with system operation. Many energy storage systems perform multiple functions, such as spinning reserve and frequency control, and the LCC should take this fully into account. This paper discusses operating life, high power capability, charge-discharge cycling and a case study at the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority where a battery energy storage system was installed in 1994, primarily to provide a spinning reserve function.