Energy Storage and Its Use With Intermittent Renewable Energy

TLDR

The study develops a probabilistic method to predict how energy storage can increase penetration of intermittent renewable generation on weak grids and enhance electricity value, and focuses on connecting wind generators where ERG is limited by voltage rise. The authors compare various electricity storage technologies for operational suitability across different time scales. The probabilistic method shows that short‑term storage (<1 h) yields only a modest increase in network absorption, while storage up to one day provides greater energy benefits but at significantly higher cost, and the study also examines how storage value depends on power rating and energy capacity to guide sizing.

Abstract

A simple probabilistic method has been developed to predict the ability of energy storage to increase the penetration of intermittent embedded renewable generation (ERG) on weak electricity grids and to enhance the value of the electricity generated by time-shifting delivery to the network. This paper focuses on the connection of wind generators at locations where the level of ERG would be limited by the voltage rise. Short-term storage, covering less than 1 h, offers only a small increase in the amount of electricity that can be absorbed by the network. Storage over periods of up to one day delivers greater energy benefits, but is significantly more expensive. Different feasible electricity storage technologies are compared for their operational suitability over different time scales. The value of storage in relation to power rating and energy capacity has been investigated so as to facilitate appropriate sizing.