Are energy storage systems a key enabling technology for renewable power generation?

Energy storage systems that can operate over minute by minute, hourly, weekly, and even seasonal timescales have the capability to fully combat renewable resource variability and are a key enabling technology for deep penetration of renewable power generation.

What is energy storage technology?

The development of thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy storage technologies addresses challenges created by significant penetration of variable renewable energy sources into the electricity mix.

Are energy storage systems scalable?

Many mature and emerging energy storage technologies utilize combinations of thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy to meet storage demands over a variety of conditions. These systems offer the potential for better scalability than electrochemical batteries.

Why do we need energy storage systems?

Energy storage systems help to bridge the gap between power generation and demand and are useful for systems with high variability or generation-demand mismatch.

Are energy storage systems commercially viable?

Another important point is that the commercial viability of an energy storage system is typically a function of both performance and cost, i.e., a lower-cost system may be viable even with reduced performance or vice versa. Table 1. Performance and cost metrics for energy storage systems.

Why do we need a co-optimized energy storage system?

The need to co-optimize storage with other elements of the electricity system, coupled with uncertain climate change impacts on demand and supply, necessitate advances in analytical tools to reliably and efficiently plan, operate, and regulate power systems of the future.