There has been growing interest in using energy storage to capture solar energy for later use in the home to reduce reliance on the traditional utility. However, few studies have critically assessed the trade-offs associated with storing solar energy rather than sending it to the utility grid, as is typically done today. Here we show that a typical battery system could reduce peak power demand by 8–32% and reduce peak power injections by 5–42%, depending on how it operates. However, storage inefficiencies increase annual energy consumption by 324–591 kWh per household on average. Furthermore, storage operation indirectly increases emissions by 153–303 kg CO2, 0.03–0.20 kg SO2 and 0.04–0.26 kg NOx per Texas household annually. Thus, home energy storage would not automatically reduce emissions or energy consumption unless it directly enables renewable energy. Tariff structures and network constraints might incentivize storing solar energy in the home to reduce reliance on utilities. This study shows that storing solar energy rather than exporting it to the utility grid could increase electricity consumption as well as CO2, SO2 and NOx emissions.

The impacts of storing solar energy in the home to reduce reliance on the utility

Energy storage system for self-consumption of photovoltaic energy in residential zero energy buildings

Economic assessment of residential PV systems with self-consumption and storage in Portugal

Coke oven gas to methanol process integrated with CO2 recycle for high energy efficiency, economic benefits and low emissions

Site selection decision framework using fuzzy ANP-VIKOR for large commercial rooftop PV system based on sustainability perspective

Profitability in absence of subsidies: A techno-economic analysis of rooftop photovoltaic self-consumption in residential and commercial buildings

The module (1) has battery cells (2) including two parallel sides and formed as bag cells. A plate-like coolable heat guidance body (6) is arranged between the battery cells, and arranged with a hollow chamber. The body includes an inlet and an outlet that diagonally faces to each other, and coolants inwardly and outwardly flow into the hollow chamber through the inlet and the outlet. The bag cells and body are designed in rectangular and/or quadratic shaped structure. The battery cells are enclosed with an aluminum foil (10).

Battery module for traction battery in hybrid or electric car, has heat guidance body including inlet and outlet, and battery cells including two parallel sides and formed as bag cells

The motor car (1) has a motor car battery (2) for starting an internal combustion engine (3). The battery is heated by multiple devices. A Peltier element i.e. thermoelectric generator, is assigned to the battery and cools the battery. An air-conditioning unit is provided with a vaporizer and a heat exchanger device i.e. cooling plate, by which the battery is cooled. A fan i.e. ventilator, directly or indirectly supplies cooling air to the battery by an air conditioning apparatus of the motor car. An air guide element supplies the cooling air to the battery.

Motor car e.g. hybrid car, has air-conditioning unit provided with vaporizer and heat exchanger device, fan supplying cooling air to battery by air conditioning apparatus of motor car, and air guide element supplying cooling air to battery

The storage device (1) has identically aligned battery cells (2) that are respectively set with cell terminal (3) including positive terminal (4) and negative terminal (5). A heat-conducting element (6) is arranged between battery cells which are formed as bag cells. The coolant leading edge side of the heat-conducting element is provided with an electrically insulated cooling channel (7) which transfers heat to the battery cells through the heat-conducting element primarily and transfer heat to the cell terminals secondarily. An aluminum foil (10) is enclosed in the battery cell.

Electrical energy storage device for motor car e.g. hybrid car, has electrically insulated cooling channel that primarily transfers heat to battery cells through heat-conducting element and secondarily transfers heat to cell terminals

The utility model relates to a battery module, an electric energy storage device and a motor vehicle. The battery module is provided with a plurality of battery units, and each battery unit is provided with two parallel side surfaces respectively. More importantly, the battery units form a pocket type battery, and one cooling heat conductor is arranged between every two adjacent battery units; the heat conductor is platy, a cavity is formed in the heat conductor, and a cooling medium flows through the cavity; and an inlet and an outlet are formed in the narrow sides, opposite along the diagonal line, of the heat conductor, and the cooling medium flows into the cavity or flows out of the cavity from the inlet and the outlet. Therefore, the performance and the service lives of the battery module and the electric energy storage device configured with the battery module are improved.

David Ammann

Papers

Profitability in absence of subsidies: A techno-economic analysis of rooftop photovoltaic self-consumption in residential and commercial buildings

Battery module for traction battery in hybrid or electric car, has heat guidance body including inlet and outlet, and battery cells including two parallel sides and formed as bag cells

Motor car e.g. hybrid car, has air-conditioning unit provided with vaporizer and heat exchanger device, fan supplying cooling air to battery by air conditioning apparatus of motor car, and air guide element supplying cooling air to battery

Electrical energy storage device for motor car e.g. hybrid car, has electrically insulated cooling channel that primarily transfers heat to battery cells through heat-conducting element and secondarily transfers heat to cell terminals

Battery module, electric energy storage device and motor vehicle