Currents Ep314: Navigating cost, risk and regulation in energy storage
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Sep 4, 2025 
Chris McKissack, CEO of Fullmark Energy and an expert in energy storage, delves into the evolving landscape of this critical sector. He shares insights on fluctuating costs, regulatory challenges, and the impact of technological advancements on efficiency. The conversation covers financial strategies needed for optimizing investments and highlights the dynamic between market promises and real-world progress. Additionally, McKissack discusses innovative approaches to meet growing demand, especially in light of AI and electric vehicles, positioning Fullmark for future success.
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Costs Fall With Tech And Density Gains
- Battery costs trended down over a decade but experienced sharp, commodity-driven swings.
- Technological shifts (lead acid → NMC → LFP) plus energy density gains chiefly drove lower system costs.
Safety And Reliability Have Matured
- Safety and reliability of batteries have improved drastically via better testing, QA, integration and monitoring.
- Operators find real-world degradation often beats conservative engineering worst-case models.
Actively Manage Dispatch
- Don't treat storage as 'set it and forget it' because dispatching is complex and time-sensitive.
- Build in dedicated operations and trading expertise to optimize charging, discharging and service participation.