Battery storage: the heartbeat of renewable energy

Recent energy innovations have enabled us to tackle some of the previously insurmountable challenges posed by the intermittent nature of renewables. Energy storage, in its various forms, is playing a crucial role in bridging this reliability gap, extending beyond just battery storage.

“Mankind has been experimenting with energy storage since time immemorial. While mechanical energy storage has long been a staple of power systems, we are now witnessing an incredible step-change-innovation in mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, and electrochemical energy storage technologies,” observes Nishant Gehani, National Director, Power-T&D at BBA. “However, technological superiority alone won’t determine the ultimate winners and losers; economics, supply chains, and policy also play crucial roles.”

"In the short term, however, battery storage appears to be having its Blu-Ray moment. Significant global battery supply chains have already been established, leading to the extensive deployment of stationary battery storage in the power sector. This trend is exemplified by highly targeted calls for power using battery storage, such as Ontario’s recent E-LT1 and LT1 procurements ."

In a landscape where power systems resemble advanced toll highways, it's clear that battery storage has piqued the interest of transmission planners and grid operators, especially in short-duration storage. Advanced grid management methods, like real-time probabilistic algorithms, fast-frequency response, synthetic inertia, automated demand response, vehicle fleet charging management systems, and grid-forming technologies, all depend directly or tangentially on battery storage as a linchpin.

As sectors strive to decarbonize, unexpected rises in electricity consumption, driven notably by transportation electrification, underscore the pivotal role of energy storage and power systems. Whether addressing escalating demands, enhancing flexibility or aligning with customer preferences, energy storage and power systems are moving toward an intertwined future.