Energy Storage for Renewable and Distributed Generation

 

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There has been quite a bit of press related to Energy Storage. To be more specific - Energy Storage in relation to renewable energy and the distribution system.

Energy storage represents an enormous opportunity for organizations and utilities to capitalize on the benefits of storing power when the demands are low and releasing it when the demand for power peaks.

 
Consider the following. If your organization owned a renewable energy generation facility (a Wind Farm or Wind Turbine for example), and you were grid connected, storage would allow you to capture power generated in the 'off peak' hours and release it into the electrical system when the power is needed - during a peak demand period.

By the same notion if your organization was measured based upon the demands you make on the system (in Ontario we have a system where the largest users in the Province are faced paying a 'Global Adjustment'), and you had energy storage connected behind the meter, then you could successfully avoid some of these peaks by utilizing the energy you captured in non-peak times. In effect you would be 'peak shaving' and able to continue your operations without worrying about impacting your electrical charges in peak times.

In both cases it doesn't sound like there would be much impact. However for the large users the savings on these two items could represent hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you are a utility facing the increasing costs to maintain your system then you may have concerns related to power quality and the ability for distributed generation to respond in a timely manner. Energy storage can be configured to be fast responding and not require either the start up time or the run requirements of traditional generators. Energy storage can also allow the system to avoid or defer the costs of additional generation, distribution and transmission assets by capturing unused energy when the system demands are reduced.

Lastly batteries for electric bikes can become a central piece of any micro-grid infrastructure. As the price of micro-generation drops (whether this is fuel cell, micro-turbine, or renewable technologies) they are also become much more efficient. This efficiency has created a paradigm shift whereby a household/business may be able to create much (if not all) of its power requirements on site. In this case, surplus energy generated could be stored for release at later times. This storage allows for micro-grids to become much more appealing for the average user - especially in situations where we know electrical power prices will continue to escalate in the coming years.

Todd Ramsey is a strategist, innovator and leader who focuses on developing leaders within his teams/client's organizations - whether they are at technology, telecommunications, or energy companies. His success is built upon understanding the real issues in a situation and approaching these with integrity, passion, focus, and driving results in a professional manner where the client (internal or external) feels valued and respected.