Two more recent reports suggest that the electricity energy world may change very rapidly, and in ways that may look very different indeed.

Research group HIS predicts that residential PV storage systems will increase from 12 megawatts (MW) in 2012 to 2,500 MW by 2017 – in large part stimulated by Germany’s energy storage subsidy. Germany’s storage incentive (which has 22 million Euros remaining this year) provides a 30% reduction in upfront costs of residential storage systems. The country is reducing its solar feed-in tariffs (how much the utilities pay solar producers for their renewable power). As a consequence, there is increased impetus for storing power on-site and using it when the PV systems are not producing.

The storage dynamic may follow that which has occurred with costs of solar installations. Germany’s feed-in tariff drove solar costs down by increasing volumes and scale efficiencies. Other countries followed, and this eventually vastly improved technologies, manufacturing processes, pipeline efficiencies, and overall cost-effectiveness in world markets. Sam Wilkinson, PV research manager and co-author of the report predicts that ‘price reductions achieved by mass production will also benefit installations in other countries