Energy storage system potential

Energy storage is a potential substitute for, or complement to, almost every aspect of a power system, including generation, transmission, and demand flexibility. Storage should be co-optimized with clean generation, transmission systems, and strategies to reward consumers for making their electricity use more flexible.

The use of ESS is crucial for improving system stability, boosting penetration of renewable energy, and conserving energy. Electricity storage systems (ESSs) come in a variety of forms, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, and electrochemical ones.

Three forms of mechanical storage systems are elaborated here. Among them, the pumped hydro storage and compressed air energy storage systems store potential energy, whereas flywheel energy storage system stores kinetic energy. 3.1.1. Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS)

According to Nadeem et al., by mapping the renewable intermittent production profile and by charging and discharging real power accordingly, energy storage systems can effectively mitigate the intermittencies introduced by the RESs, thus improving the power quality and reliability .

Energy storage systems allow energy consumption to be separated in time from the production of energy, whether it be electrical or thermal energy. The storing of electricity typically occurs in chemical (e.g., lead acid batteries or lithium-ion batteries, to name just two of the best known) or mechanical means (e.g., pumped hydro storage).

A comparison between each form of energy storage systems based on capacity, lifetime, capital cost, strength, weakness, and use in renewable energy systems is presented in a tabular form.