A Perspective on Energy Storage and Other Means to Integrate Increasing Shares of Renewable Electricity Generation

Abstract

AbstractThe transition to a sustainable electricity supply from renewable energy sources (RES) imposes major technical and economic challenges upon market players and the legislator. In particular the rapid growth of volatile wind power and photovoltaic generation requires a high level of flexibility of the entire electricity system, therefore major investments in infrastructures are needed to maintain system stability. This raises the important question about the role that central large-scale energy storage and/or small-scale distributed storage (“energy storage at home”) are going to play in the energy transition. Economic analyses show that the importance of energy storage is going to be rather limited in the medium term. Especially competing options like intelligent grid extension and flexible operation of power plants are expected to remain favourable. Nonetheless additional storage capacities are required if the share of RES substantially exceeds 50% in the long term. Due to the fundamental significance of energy storages, R&D considers a broad variety of types each suitable for a specific class of application.