Given NZ's geography, a niche like providing remote pilot projects power until cable or renewables are constructed would make the tech worth pursuing. You could back out without sunken costs or environment damage if the pilot doesn't go ahead.
NZ is proposing to go fully renewable by 2030 as well as promoting higher EV targets for 2023. We already import many right-hand drive Nissan Leafs reaching their 7-year EOL from Japan, so re-purposed batteries for off-grid storage will become very cost effective in short order.
Our aluminium smelter is also slated to close in a year which frees up about 10% - 15% of national electricity, and we have pumped storage for day/night loads separate from hydro.
Given the political climate here, niche opportunities abound imo.
We don't have high capacity (centralised nor distributed) grid scale batteries in many places yet.
What it boils down it is, even if this works, which I doubt, 20% transmission loss makes this a niche market at best.