Energy storage key to brighter renewable future
Use of energy storage system by commercial or industrial consumers, in conjunction with renewable energy, has potential to improve power quality and reliability for such consumers
Use of energy storage system by commercial or industrial consumers, in conjunction with renewable energy, has potential to improve power quality and reliability for such consumers. Renewable energy, especially solar, has huge fluctuations which can be managed by linking it to storage batteries. This could also allow various thermal generating plants to operate at their best efficient point, which will result in savings in fuel consumption.
Unlike any other asset on the grid, energy storage can play multiple roles, acting as both load and capacity depending on whether it is absorbing excess generation or feeding back into the grid, respectively. Large renewables generators are facilitated to use the energy storage for a variety of applications, which add value to the system. This includes scheduling accuracy and reducing deviation penalties, reactive power management, fault ride through load firming, peak load management, transmission capacity optimisation, reducing the transmission congestion, ancillary service support to the grid such as frequency regulation, ramp control, spinning and operating reserves, among others. Depending on the application, there would be an economic value addition to the generation project or to the overall system.
While early deployments of energy storage within India is under pilot mode, we are currently witnessing significant growth in the marketplace to hybridise storage with solar (or wind) and thermal generation, unlocking a multitude of potential revenue streams. The energy storage system can charge and discharge in response to an increase or decrease, respectively, to the grid frequency. Similarly, during the load levelling the power can be stored during the periods of light loading on the system and delivering it during the high demands, reducing the load on less economically peak-generation facilities. Also, the variable intermittent power output from a renewable power output from a renewable energy plant, such as wind or solar, can be maintained at a committed (firm) level for a period of time.
Energy storage technology can be applied as a solution to various grid challenges and needs as it not only increases reliability, resilience and “future-proofs” the grid and microgrid applications but, it also enables more dispatch of renewables into the system.
Advanced technology and innovations for using the energy storage solutions as spinning reserves have the potential to be environmentally-sound solutions if seen as a probable solution with the generation assets. Software controls and data analytics can be used to maximise the performance and longevity of energy storage, further bringing down its cost and making it more available for use.
With the combination of various assets, an optimal path towards a 100 per cent renewables future can be created. Already renewable and thermal energy integrated with storage is driving a paradigm change in power markets around the world. Next, with the capabilities of energy storage, renewables will begin to replace the existing inflexible thermal capacity, which when combined with reduced storage costs, will enable renewable energy to become the new baseload.
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