Self-Consumption of Renewables: The role of storage in revolutionising grid infrastructure

Tokyo, Japan

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held its second “International Energy Storage Policy and Regulation” workshop as a step in the development of an electricity storage roadmap, part of IRENA’s global renewable energy roadmap, REmap 2030. The workshop aimed to identify key technological solutions, regulatory challenges and policies needed for the accelerated deployment of renewables at a residential level, as well as to highlight best practices, lessons and international cooperation opportunities.

About 50 participants attended, representing governments, energy storage associations, research institutes, academia and industry. Representatives from the governments of Japan, Germany, Italy and the United States presented their latest energy-storage policies. The workshop, held in Tokyo on 7 November, followed the 1st Energy Storage Summit Japan the day before. The proceedings of the workshop can be found here.

Yasuhiro Matsuyama, a director at Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), opened the workshop

The workshop agenda was as follows:

  • Masaomi Koyama, Senior Programme Officer Innovation and Technology, International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA’s Electricity Storage Roadmap (presentation)
  • Axel Göhner, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany to Japan 
    Germany’s subsidy scheme for electricity storage (presentation)
  • Melicia Charles, advisor to Commissioner Carla Peterman, California Public Utilities Commission
    Renewables integration and electricity storage: Lessons from California (presentation)
  • Riccardo Toxiri, climate & sustainable energy advisor, GSE
    The Italian net metering scheme – Scambio sul Posto (video message) (presentation)
  • Miyamoto Katsufumi, general manager, Panasonic Corporation
    How can residential battery applications be used to support the integration of variable renewables into the grid? (presentation)
  • Christopher Hebling, director, energy technology, Fraunhofer ISE
    How can residential battery storage and renewables be used to connect the electricity, heat, and mobility sector? (presentation)
  • Yumiko Iwafune, research director, Collaborative Research Center for Energy Engineering, Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo
    What environmental and social dimensions need to be considered for residential battery storage applications for renewables? (presentation)
  • Penelope Crossley, lecturer, Sydney Law School, University of Sydney
    What are the legal challenges and policy obstacles in supporting residential battery storage applications for renewables? (presentation)

IRENA held its first “International Energy Storage Policy and Regulation” workshop in March 2014 in Dusseldorf, Germany.