<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/renewables-boss-shocked-by-plunging-price-of-battery-storage-and-soaring-cost-of-a-concrete-slab/>
"The head of one of Australia’s biggest renewable energy developers says he is
“flabbergasted” by the extent of the cost falls in battery storage, but equally
shocked by the rising cost of laying a concrete slab – a key component of both
wind and big battery projects.
Tilt Renewables is currently building its first big battery in the Latrobe
Valley in Victoria and CEO Anthony Fowler says he has been taken aback by the
falling price of battery cells and modules.
“I’m a bit flabbergasted by the price, what we were seeing a few years ago it
is now around half of that,” Fowler says in an interview in the latest episode
of
Renew Economy’s
Energy Insiders podcast.
Which is good, but Fowler says that balance-of-plant costs are also rising.
Other developers have also pointed to the rising costs of civil construction,
and of labour, but Fowler says it is a significant issue for renewable and
storage development in Australia, and for consumers.
“Frankly, when you look at the balance-of-plant costs that you do see for
constructing anything, I’m often shocked. I just can’t believe it costs so much
to lay a slab of concrete.
“And we hear this from … the big turbine producers … the big network equipment
producers, that Australia is the most expensive place in the world that they
see to build things, and I think it’s a big problem.
“I really look forward to working with the industry and government to work out
what we can do to bring those costs down. Because, as we all know, the consumer
is picking up the tab for all of this, and if costs keep track in the way that
they are, our industry is just not going to receive widespread support for the
fun work that we do.”"
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
