Energy storage has become one of the hottest topics in the electric power industry today as penetration levels of variable energy resources (e.g. wind, solar) rise rapidly. However, from the perspective of the electricity industry, analyzing energy storage can be dauntingly complex, and financial incentives are weakened by depressed electricity prices.
A recent study summarizing the state of energy storage, “Energy Storage and Opportunities: A West Coast Perspective White Paper,” offers the following conclusions:
- Complexities in calculating and realizing the value of energy storage provides multiple system benefits that are often not fully valued, partly because of the complexity involved.
- Energy storage includes both mature technologies and others that appear to have much development potential.
- Energy storage deserves to be evaluated on a par with other resources in utility resource plans.
- Barriers to energy storage development suggest that policy intervention is warranted to promote competition among projects and technologies.
- Standardized integration with utility system energy management systems may be lagging and merits development.
A special challenge for systems operating with more than about 70% variable energy resources is the need for economical energy storage over weeks and months. A promising technology is being demonstrated in Germany, where Audi’s new utility-scale power-to-gas facility produces hydrogen and synthetic methane from renewable energy, water and carbon dioxide. Renewable-sourced methane could allow leveraging existing natural gas storage and generation infrastructure.
Given that the need for longer-term (weeks to months) energy storage may be two or three decades away, what is the appropriate role for the US in developing these technologies today? Should we be content to let other countries lead the way?
Energy Storage is required for practical, reliable, and economic grid operation; if we are required to actually utilize the mandated solar and wind generation capacity. This need is caused by… Read more »
I completely agree that the need for long term energy storage is some time off as suggested in the original post. The need for shorter term storage is largely filled… Read more »
This question is answered differently considering utility-scale vs. distributed-scale (community or homeowner) energy storage as well as battery storage versus renewables-to-gas (or other) technology. The economics and need for storage… Read more »
Leadership and a national priority funded by our federal government is the appropriate role for the US in realizing energy storage if we are serious about addressing climate change, building… Read more »
While natural gas with geological storage is able to (and often does) provide seasonal energy storage today, climate change risk dictates that we stop using all fossil fuels as soon… Read more »
Sorry, but I have to admit that I cannot understand many of the comments posted to date. I was led to believe we are discussing energy storage as applicable to… Read more »
I agree that the need for long term energy storage is decades away. In various locations there is a need for new peaking and intermediate capacity requiring four to ten… Read more »
Like apparently everyone else here, I agree that the need for long-term energy storage is a long way off (if it is ever needed) and there is not a need… Read more »
I agree with Nate’s comment that “leadership and a national priority funded by our federal government” is needed to foster continued development of energy storage technologies. As we have seen… Read more »
I have to agree that the critical need for large scale energy storage is still many years out. However, with that said, some utilities have made extraordinary effective use of… Read more »
Many renewable energies have a relatively low EROI — Energy Return On (energy) Investment (my thing). For example one thorough study (Prieto and Hall) found an EROI of 2.4:1 for… Read more »
We may be drawing an artificial line between “long-term storage applications” and “short-term shortage applications”. Most energy storage technologies scale well. Distributed energy storage applications hold the most market potential… Read more »
According to this recent report by the IEEE to the DOE’s Quadrennial Energy Review, not much energy storage is needed at or below renewables penetrations of about 30% http://www.ieee-pes.org/component/content/article/158-uncategorised/749-qer
On the other hand, this recent announcement may represent a breakthrough for LI storage battery technology http://media.ntu.edu.sg/NewsReleases/Pages/newsdetail.aspx?news=809fbb2f-95f0-4995-b5c0-10ae4c50c934