Large-scale deployment of intermittent renewable energy (namely wind energy and solar PV) may entail new challenges in power systems and more volatility in power prices in liberalized electricity markets. Energy storage can diminish this imbalance, relieving the grid congestion, and promoting distributed generation. The economic implications of grid-scale electrical energy storage technologies are however obscure for the experts, power grid operators, regulators, and power producers. A meticulous techno-economic or cost-benefit analysis of electricity storage systems requires consistent, updated cost data and a holistic cost analysis framework. To this end, this study critically examines the existing literature in the analysis of life cycle costs of utility-scale electricity storage systems, providing an updated database for the cost elements (capital costs, operational and maintenance costs, and replacement costs). Moreover, life cycle costs and levelized cost of electricity delivered by electrical energy storage is analyzed, employing Monte Carlo method to consider uncertainties. The examined energy storage technologies include pumped hydropower storage, compressed air energy storage (CAES), flywheel, electrochemical batteries (e.g. lead–acid, NaS, Li-ion, and Ni–Cd), flow batteries (e.g. vanadium-redox), superconducting magnetic energy storage, supercapacitors, and hydrogen energy storage (power to gas technologies). The results illustrate the economy of different storage systems for three main applications: bulk energy storage, T&D support services, and frequency regulation.

Electrical energy storage systems: A comparative life cycle cost analysis

Review of energy storage technologies for sustainable power networks

Due to the challenge of climate and energy crisis, renewable energy generation including solar generation has experienced significant growth. Increasingly high penetration level of photovoltaic (PV) generation arises in smart grid. Solar power is intermittent and variable, as the solar source at the ground level is highly dependent on cloud cover variability, atmospheric aerosol levels, and other atmosphere parameters. The inherent variability of large-scale solar generation introduces significant challenges to smart grid energy management. Accurate forecasting of solar power/irradiance is critical to secure economic operation of the smart grid. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the theoretical forecasting methodologies for both solar resource and PV power. Applications of solar forecasting in energy management of smart grid are also investigated in detail.

Photovoltaic and solar power forecasting for smart grid energy management

Concerns about climate change as well as fossil fuel usage restrictions motivate the energy transition to a sustainable energy sector requiring very high penetration level of renewable energy sources in the World energy matrix, including those heavily hydrocarbon-based as fuel for transportation. Some of these renewable sources have an uncontrollable output and managing the variability is challenging. The current upward trend in renewables participation will demand even more flexibility from the energy systems. Among several options for increasing flexibility, energy storage (ES) is a promising one considering the variability of many renewable sources. The purpose of this study is to present a comprehensive updated review of ES technologies, briefly address their applications and discuss the barriers to ES deployment. Methodology involves the description and the analysis of ES many existing and developing technologies. ES applications are discussed briefly using logistic and parametric classification logics. As result of this study, it will be pointed out that no ES technology outstands simultaneously in all technical characteristics and consequently, selection should be driven on a case base analysis. Economic feasibility of ES business models and establishment of a well-suited regulatory environment are major issues to unlock ES deployment. Regarding energy transition, Power-to-Gas, Power-to-Liquids and Solar-to-Fuel technologies are very promising and further studies about these technologies are required to better understand their possibilities and how to overcome the barriers to their practical usage.

Energy storage in the energy transition context: A technology review

A microgrid (MG) is a local entity that consists of distributed energy resources (DERs) to achieve local power reliability and sustainable energy utilization. The MG concept or renewable energy technologies integrated with energy storage systems (ESS) have gained increasing interest and popularity because it can store energy at off-peak hours and supply energy at peak hours. However, existing ESS technology faces challenges in storing energy due to various issues, such as charging/discharging, safety, reliability, size, cost, life cycle, and overall management. Thus, an advanced ESS is required with regard to capacity, protection, control interface, energy management, and characteristics to enhance the performance of ESS in MG applications. This paper comprehensively reviews the types of ESS technologies, ESS structures along with their configurations, classifications, features, energy conversion, and evaluation process. Moreover, details on the advantages and disadvantages of ESS in MG applications have been analyzed based on the process of energy formations, material selection, power transfer mechanism, capacity, efficiency, and cycle period. Existing reviews critically demonstrate the current technologies for ESS in MG applications. However, the optimum management of ESSs for efficient MG operation remains a challenge in modern power system networks. This review also highlights the key factors, issues, and challenges with possible recommendations for the further development of ESS in future MG applications. All the highlighted insights of this review significantly contribute to the increasing effort toward the development of a cost-effective and efficient ESS model with a prolonged life cycle for sustainable MG implementation.

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Review of Energy Storage System Technologies in Microgrid Applications: Issues and Challenges

As solar photovoltaic power generation becomes more commonplace, the inherent intermittency of the solar resource poses one of the great challenges to those who would design and implement the next generation smart grid. Specifically, grid-tied solar power generation is a distributed resource whose output can change extremely rapidly, resulting in many issues for the distribution system operator with a large quantity of installed photovoltaic devices. Battery energy storage systems are increasingly being used to help integrate solar power into the grid. These systems are capable of absorbing and delivering both real and reactive power with sub-second response times. With these capabilities, battery energy storage systems can mitigate such issues with solar power generation as ramp rate, frequency, and voltage issues. Beyond these applications focusing on system stability, energy storage control systems can also be integrated with energy markets to make the solar resource more economical. Providing a high-level introduction to this application area, this paper presents an overview of the challenges of integrating solar power to the electricity distribution system, a technical overview of battery energy storage systems, and illustrates a variety of modes of operation for battery energy storage systems in grid-tied solar applications. The real-time control modes discussed include ramp rate control, frequency droop response, power factor correction, solar time-shifting, and output leveling.

W. M. Grady

Papers

Battery Energy Storage for Enabling Integration of Distributed Solar Power Generation