Energy storage systems (ESS) are growing in importance as renewable energy sources like wind power, wave power and solar are being commissioned and connected to the grid at an ever-increasing rate. Energy Storage Systems are needed to help the grid deal with the instability and unpredictability of such power generation systems and match them to equally variable consumer demand.
In the UK, renewables currently produce over 20% of the country’s electricity and this is likely to exceed 30% by 2020. The current installed capacity is in the region of nine gigawatts indicating the nation’s reliance on more environmentally friendly forms of energy generation into the future.
Battery-based systems are rapidly gaining market share for use as ESSs and gaining acceptance due to advances in their design. Other energy storage approaches can use a range of media, including compressed air, pumped hydro and flywheel. Properly packaged, battery-based systems offer advantages in transportability and size. Advances in battery design and construction have helped manufacturers improve efficiency and lifespan, as well as enhance safety of these systems.
The configuration of batteries and the set-up of the system can bring a variety of benefits to grid quality. Some configurations are useful for rapid response short-term discharge to maintain grid frequency stability and power quality, others meanwhile can supply a longer duration output to perform load balancing and peak shaving, or even backup power on a microgrid.
The technical capabilities and benefits of a battery energy storage system (BESS) can address multiple aspects of power quality and storage.
Frequency regulation – Because utilities must maintain their output within a narrow frequency range, this is a common application for a Power Conversion System (PCS)/BESS. High demand can cause a slight drop in frequency, especially on systems of lower capacity. A BESS can compensate for peak loading with a high-energy discharge through the PCS within a second.
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