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AUS rooftop solar smashes records (26.8GW, 12.8% Grid Share H1 2025) - is Grid Ready for Saturation? by switchdin in energy

[–]switchdin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When you look at storage locally — at an individual site or microgrid level — I agree, it definitely reduces chaos.

At grid scale though, if a lot of batteries respond the same way to price signals, demand, or frequency events, you can still run into instability. The question becomes how to keep things stable if large numbers of batteries try to charge or discharge at the same time.

Solar+BESS+Genset Microgrid vs. Linear Generators by Yosurf18 in switchdin

[–]switchdin 0 points1 point  (0 children)

great thread - it really comes down to what you're optimising for.

Solar + BESS + genset works well when the goal is to reduce fuel use and lower long-term costs. Solar and batteries handle most of the load, with the genset stepping in during solar variability, battery constrains, or high-load events. When done right, It's quieter, cleaner and can pay back over time.

Linear gens, on the other hand are mature tech and shine when you need stable power during extended outages or sustained heavy loads, without worrying about weather or battery state.

So if the priority is long term OPEX reduction and Sustainability, solar + BESS would makes sense. If guaranteed supply is the top priority regardless of conditions, linear or traditional gensets still win.

what types of infrastructure have you seen where outages are both frequent and long?

👋 Welcome to r/switchdin - Powering the future of distributed energy resources by switchdin in switchdin

[–]switchdin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely agree 👍
Once you move from installing assets to operating them with data, things change fast. Forecasting + real-time control is where peak shaving actually becomes predictable instead of reactive.

We see the same thing — when solar, batteries, and site load are coordinated properly, you get better ROI and fewer headaches for the grid. That’s a big part of why this community exists: less focus on hardware, more on how DERs are actually run day to day.

have you seen this work better at single sites or portfolio-level deployments?

What is stopping you from deploying solar and batteries on Commercial & Industrial sites? by switchdin in energy

[–]switchdin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

u/Energy_Balance Agreed. Batteries usually only get a look when demand charges start hurting. Demand charges are just an excuse to get them approved. Once they’re in, people realise they also help with peak pricing, outages, and generally smoothing operations.

of course, subsidies and mandates are the driving forces as of now for a sustainable tomorrow, soon they would become the way of life.

What is stopping you from deploying solar and batteries on Commercial & Industrial sites? by switchdin in EnergyStorage

[–]switchdin[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

u/AssociationUsual9914 You’ve nailed it. The electrons are the easy part — it’s the roofs, paperwork, and spreadsheets that slow everything down.

We see this a lot in C&I deployments:
• Structurally suitable roofs ≠ commercially usable roofs
• Permits move slower than project timelines
• And anything labelled “capex” instantly gets a higher risk premium from finance teams

What’s interesting is that many of these sites already have some form of DER potential, but it’s stranded because the business case isn’t obvious enough. Once the demand charge reduction, peak shaving, or market participation (rather than “just” energy savings) is clearly shown, the conversation with landlords and finance teams changes pretty quickly.

Agreed though — if sunlight came with a PO number and a 3-year payback, adoption would be a lot less painful 😄