It is obvious for wind and solar energy that storage is acquired for times of shortage. But there is more to it. Large scale storage methods are divided in three categories. Power Quality stores  energy to assure continuity of quality power. It is characterized by a quick stop and go of power to the grid.

The second category is called bridging power. This enables generation sources to switch without effecting the balance of the grid. This application feeds power to the grid for seconds to minutes.

The third category is storage for energy management, which offers trade opportunities. These batteries charge a large amount of power in times of surplus. They interact with the grid at the transmission level and operate on a diurnal cycle of charge and discharge: charging when demand and price are low and delivering to the grid at the opportune time for balance as well as for profit.

Among others the electric car and the micro heat pump enable individuals to play with cost and profit. Individuals can generate electricity themselves and store it, or feed in from the grid at times electricity is cheap. This is called ‘Time-of-Use’. When the price is high one uses or sells power from the storage. Energy will be like the equity market: people buying and selling and trying to get a profit out of it. This means democratization of the energy trade. Individuals and small companies will be able to enter the market place in large numbers.

Worldwide the interest in energy storage and smart grids is growing rapidly. Vice-president of the US, Joe Biden, announced plans for nearly $4 billion investments in technology deployment, monitoring and viability of smart grid initiatives last April. ‘We need an upgraded electrical grid to take full advantage of the vast renewable resources in this country – to take the wind from the Midwest and the sun from the Southwest and power areas across the country,’ Mr Biden said. ‘By investing in updating the grid now, we will lower utility bills for American families and businesses, lessen our dependence on foreign oil and create good jobs that will drive our economic recovery – a strong return on our investment.’

The World Council for Renewable Energy, presided by Mr Herman Scheer, organizes the fourth International Renewable Energy Storage conference in Berlin, 24/25 November this year.

nonfiXe, 2 november 2009

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