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Benefits of Energy Storage-Tech & Fin.
Benefits of Energy Storage-Tech & Fin.
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H. Ibrahim, TechnoCentre éolien, 70 rue bolduc, Gaspé, Québec, G4X 1G2,
Canada, (e-mail: hibrahim@eolien.qc.ca). Fig. 1: Fundamental idea of the energy storage [5]
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R. Beguenane, Royal Military College of Canada, Station Forces Kingston,
Ontario, K7K 7B4, Canada, (e-mail: Rachid.Beguenane@rmc.ca). EES has numerous applications including portable devices,
3
A. Merabet, Saint Mary's University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia,
B3H 3C3 Canada, (e-mail: adel.merabet@smu.ca). transport vehicles and stationary energy resources [2-4]. This
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D. Thermal Energy Storage Every energy storage facility is comprised of three primary
There are two types of thermal energy storage (TES): TES components [10]: (1) Storage Medium, (2) Power Conversion
applicable to solar thermal power plants and end-use TES. System (PCS) and (3) Balance of Plant (BOP)
TES for solar thermal power plants consists of a synthetic oil A. Storage Medium
or molten salt that stores solar energy in the form of heat The storage medium is the ‘energy reservoir’ that retains
collected by solar thermal power plants to enable smooth the potential energy within a storage device. It ranges from
power output during daytime cloudy periods and to extend mechanical (PHES), chemical (BES) and electrical (SMES)
power production for 1-10 hours past sunset. End-use TES potential energy [10].
stores electricity through the use of hot or cold storage in
underground aquifers, water or ice tanks, or other materials B. Power Conversion System (PCS)
and uses this energy to reduce the electricity consumption of It is necessary to convert from alternating current (AC) to
building heating or air conditioning systems when needed. direct current (DC) and vice versa, for all storage devices
except mechanical storage devices e.g. PHES and CAES [11].
E. Flywheels
Consequently, a PCS is required that acts as a rectifier while
A conventional flywheel stores energy as the kinetic the energy device is charged (AC to DC) and as an inverter
energy of a massive disk spinning on a metal shaft. To when the device is discharged (DC to AC). The PCS also
retrieve stored energy from the flywheel, the process is conditions the power during conversion to ensure that no
reversed with the motor acting as a generator powered by the damage is done to the storage device.
braking of the rotating disc. The amount of energy stored The customization of the PCS for individual storage
depends upon the linear speed of rotation and the mass of the systems has been identified as one of the primary sources of
disk. Short discharge time flywheels are suitable for improvement for energy storage facilities, as each storage
stabilizing voltage and frequency, while longer duration device operates differently during charging, standing and
flywheels may be suitable for damping load fluctuations. discharging [11]. The PCS usually costs from 33% to 50% of
F. Ultracapacitors the entire storage facility. Development of PCSs has been
Ultracapacitors are electrical devices that consist of two slow due to the limited growth in distributed energy resources
oppositely charged metal plates separated by an insulator. The e.g. small scale power generation technologies ranging from
ultracapacitor stores energy by increasing the electric charge 3 to 10,000 kW [12].
accumulation on the metal plates and discharges energy when C. Balance-of-Plant (BOP)
the electric charges are released by the metal plates.
These are all the devices that [10]:
Generally, capacitors are suitable for short-duration
Are used to house the equipment
applications like providing backup power during brief
Control the environment of the storage facility
interruptions. Advanced capacitors are useful for stabilizing Provide the electrical connection between the PCS and
voltage and frequency. the power grid
G. Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage It is the most variable cost component within an energy
Superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) consists storage device due to the various requirements for each
of a coil with many windings of superconducting wire that facility. The BOP typically includes electrical
stores and releases energy with increases or decreases in the interconnections, surge protection devices, a support rack for
current flowing through the wire. Energy is added or the storage medium, the facility shelter and environmental
extracted from the magnetic field of the inductor by control systems [11]. The balance‐of‐plant includes structural
increasing or decreasing the current in the windings. At and mechanical equipment such as protective enclosure,
steady state, the superconducting windings dissipate no heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC), and
energy, and energy may be stored indefinitely with low loss. maintenance/auxiliary devices. Other BOP features include
The main parts in a SMES are motionless, which results in the foundation, structure (if needed), electrical protection and
high reliability and low maintenance. However, safety equipment, metering equipment, data monitoring
superconductors also require refrigeration systems that equipment, and communications and control equipment.
introduce energy losses and do contain moving parts. Power Other cost such as the facility site, permits, project
can be discharged almost instantaneously with high power management and training may also be considered here [13].
output for a brief period of time with less loss of power than
VI. APPLICATIONS AND TECHNICAL BENEFITS OF ENERGY
for other technologies.
STORAGE SYSTEMS
V. ENERGY STORAGE COMPONENTS The traditional electricity value chain has been considered to
consist of five links: fuel/energy source, generation,
Before discussing the technologies, a brief explanation of the
components within an energy storage device are discussed. transmission, distribution and customer-side energy service as
shown in Figure 3. By supplying power when and where
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needed, EES is on the brink of becoming the ‘‘sixth link” by Grid Frequency Support: Grid Frequency Support means
integrating the existing segments and creating a more real power provided to the electrical distribution grid to
responsive market [14]. Stored energy integration into the reduce any sudden large load/generation imbalance and
generation-grid system is illustrated in Figure 4 [15]. It can maintain a state of frequency equilibrium for the
be seen that potential applications of EES are numerous and system’s 60Hz (cycles per second) during regular and
various and could cover the full spectrum ranging from larger irregular grid conditions. Large and rapid changes in the
scale, generation and transmission-related systems, to those electrical load of a system can damage the generator and
primarily related to the distribution network and even customers’ electrical equipment [14].
‘beyond the meter’, into the customer/end-user site [2]. Some Black-Start: This refers to units with the capability to
important applications have been summarized in [2], [14–19], start-up on their own in order to energize the
and will are presented in the next sections: transmission system and assist other facilities to start-up
and synchronize to the grid.
B. Transmission and Distribution
System Stability: The ability to maintain all system
components on a transmission line in synchronous
operation with each other to prevent a system collapse.
Grid Angular Stability: Grid Angular Stability means
reducing power oscillations (due to rapid events) by
injection and absorption of real power.
Grid Voltage Support: Grid Voltage Support means
power provided to the electrical distribution grid to
Fig. 3: Benefits of ESS along the electricity value chain [14].
maintain voltages within the acceptable range between
each end of all power lines. This involves a trade-off
between the amount of “real” energy produced by
generators and the amount of reactive power produced.
Asset Deferral: Defer the need for additional
transmission facilities by supplementing and existing
transmission facilities—saving capital that otherwise
goes underutilized for years [21].
C. Energy Service
Energy Management (Load Levelling / Peak Shaving):
Load Levelling is rescheduling certain loads to cut
electrical power demand, or the production of energy
during off-peak periods for storage and use during peak
Fig. 4: Energy storage applications into grid [15]. demand periods. Whilst Peak Shaving is reducing
electric usage during peak periods or moving usage from
A. Generation the time of peak demand to off-peak periods. This
Commodity Storage: Storing bulk energy generated at strategy allows to customers to peak shave by shifting
night for use during peak demand periods during the energy demand from one time of the day to another.
day. This allows for arbitraging the production price of This is primarily used to reduce their time-of-use
the two periods and a more uniform load factor for the (demand) charges [14].
generation, transmission, and distribution systems [14]. Unbalanced Load Compensation: This can be done in
Contingency Service: Contingency reserve is power combination with four-wire inverters and also by
capacity capable of providing power to serve customer injecting and absorbing power individually at each
demand should a power facility fall off-line. Spinning phase to supply unbalanced loads.
reserves are ready instantaneously, with non-spinning Power Quality improvement: It is basically related to the
and long-term reserves ready in 10 minutes or longer. changes in magnitude and shape of voltage and current.
Spinning Reserve is defined as the amount of generation This result in different issues including: Harmonics,
capacity that can be used to produce active power over a Power Factor, Transients, Flicker, Sag and Swell,
given period of time which has not yet been committed Spikes, etc. [20]. Distributed energy storage systems
to the production of energy during this period [20]. (DESS) can mitigate these problems and provide
Area Control: Prevent unplanned transfer of power electrical service to the customer without any secondary
between one utility and another. oscillations or disruptions to the electricity "waveform".
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Power Reliability: Can be presented as the This capability will make the development of renewable
percentage/ratio of interruption in delivery of electric resources far more cost-effective — by increasing the value of
power (may include exceeding the threshold and not renewables it may reduce the level of subsidy down to where
only complete loss of power) versus total uptime. DESS it is equal to the environmental value of the renewable, at
can help provide reliable electric service to consumers which point it is no longer a subsidy but an environmental
(UPS) to ‘ride-through’ a power disruption. Coupled credit [14].
with energy management storage, this allows remote Frequency and synchronous spinning reserve support:
power operation [22]. In grids with a significant share of wind generation,
intermittency and variability in wind generation output
D. Supporting the Integration of Intermittent Renewable
due to sudden shifts in wind patterns can lead to
Energy Sources
significant imbalances between generation and load that
The development and use of renewable energy has
in turn result in shifts in grid frequency [22]. Such
experienced rapid growth over the past few years. In the next
imbalances are usually handled by spinning reserve at
20–30 years all sustainable energy systems will have to be
the transmission level, but energy storage can provide
based on the rational use of traditional resources and greater
prompt response to such imbalances without the
use of renewable energy. Decentralized electrical production
emissions related to most conventional solutions.
from renewable energy sources yields a more assured supply
Transmission Curtailment Reduction: Wind power
for consumers with fewer environmental hazards. However,
generation is often located in remote areas that are
the unpredictable character of these sources requires that
poorly served by transmission and distribution systems.
network provisioning and usage regulations be established for
As a result, sometimes wind operators are asked to
optimal system operation. However, renewable energy
curtail their production, which results in lost energy
resources have two problems. First, many of the potential
production opportunity, or system operators are required
power generation sites are located far from load centers.
to invest in expanding the transmission capability. An
Although wind energy generation facilities can be constructed
EES unit located close to the wind generation can allow
in less than one year, new transmission facilities must be
the excess energy to be stored and then delivered at
constructed to bring this new power source to market. Since it
times when the transmission system is not congested.
can take upwards of 7 years to build these transmission assets,
Time Shifting: Wind turbines are considered as non-
long, lag-time periods can emerge where wind generation is
dispatchable resources. EES can be used to store energy
"constrained-off" the system [14]. For many sites this may
generated during periods of low demand and deliver it
preclude them from delivering power to existing customers,
during periods of high demand (Figure 5). When
but it opens the door to powering off-grid markets—an
applied to wind generation, this application is
important and growing market.
sometimes called “firming and shaping” because it
changes the power profile of the wind to allow greater
control over dispatch [22].
Forecast Hedge: Mitigation of errors (shortfalls) in wind
energy bids into the market prior to required delivery,
thus reducing volatility of spot prices and mitigating risk
exposure of consumers to this volatility [21].
Fluctuation suppression: Wind farm generation
frequency can be stabilised by suppressing fluctuations
(absorbing and discharging energy during short duration
variations in output) [21].
Fig. 5: Integration of extrapolated (x6) wind power using energy storage on the
Irish electricity grid [10]
VII. FINANCIAL BENEFITS OF ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS
In [23] detailed analysis of energy storage benefits is done
The second problem is that the renewable resources
including market analysis, the following are some highlights:
fluctuate independently from demand. Therefore, the most of
Cost Reduction or Revenue Increase of Bulk Energy
the power accessible to the grids is generated when there is
Arbitrage: Arbitrage involves purchase of inexpensive
low demand for it. By storing the power from renewable
electricity available during low demand periods to
sources from off-peak and releasing it during on-peak, energy
charge the storage plant, so that the low priced energy
storage can transform this low value, unscheduled power into
can be used or sold at a later time when the price for
schedulable, high-value products (see exhibit). Beyond energy
electricity is high [8].
sales, with the assured capability of dispatching power into
Cost Avoid or Revenue Increase of Central Generation
the market, a renewable energy source could also sell capacity
Capacity: For areas where the supply of electric
into the market through contingency services.
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generation capacity is tight, energy storage could be comparative advantages of these different energy storage
used to offset the need to: a) purchase and install new options. Second, there are multiple applications of energy
generation and/or b) “rent” generation capacity in the storage, each with distinct operational requirements. Certain
wholesale electricity marketplace. storage technologies may suit certain applications better than
Cost Avoid or Revenue Increase of Ancillary Services: It others. Finally, there are many aspects of market structure
is well known that energy storage can provide several and economic regulation that affect energy storage
types of ancillary services. In short, these are what deployment. Taken together, these factors make the
might be called support services used to keep the development of an energy storage research and development
regional grid operating. Two more familiar ones are portfolio challenging. While there is general consensus that
spinning reserve and load following [8]. storage technology improvements are needed, there are
Cost Avoid or Revenue Increase for Transmission multiple potential pathways to such improvements that cut
Access/Congestion: It is possible that use of energy across different disciplines.
storage could improve the performance of the T&D
system by giving the utilities the ability to increase IX. REFERENCES
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