Distributed energy storage advantages on both sides of the counter

Solar and wind energy are excellent sources of clean, renewable energy, but a larger share of the generation fleet contribute, be their integration into increasingly sophisticated. The reason: solar and wind can not be sent in the same way as other energy sources, such as nuclear, hydroelectric and fossil fuels. Because the grid "just in time" with generation constantly relevant claim must act for stability, special accommodation required to efficiently integrate a significant contribution from the Sun or the wind. Intermittent production and tendency to produce peak power periods not always pretty close peak demand.

Battery storage is recognized as a way to integrate more solar and wind energy into the grid for a long time. The deployment of intelligent energy storage at the edge of the grid, where energy is consumed, emerges several compelling advantages on both sides of the counter. The advantages of such distributed energy storage (DES) derive from his ability to create and demand through consumption and electricity generation, or to decrease it. In the end this demand allows redistribution, as changing grid conditions include reduced or be increased. And by the demand for more redistribution, also is easier to integrate that higher levels of penetration it from solar and wind generation.

Customer wins

The image below shows to calculate time differences as a commercial customer demand by increasing the "demand" in the night, the batteries (in this case, preferably with wind energy), and then "generated" to reduce power peaks when necessary in the course of the day.

The benefits of the customer can be significant. The ability to time-shift-demand enables commercial and industrial (C & I) customers Cap demand charges during the day and take advantage of reduced time of use at night. Customers will be able to achieve a return on investment in a system in five to seven years are among the most fare structures, C & I. Shorter, the payback can be disturbing when solar energy is integrated, or by participating in the utility production program response, which the facilitated in a manner of less.

THE facilitated the in place solar generation to integrate, by space for regular spikes in demand and clouds with fewer interruptions to the customers and more stability for the grid. Depending on the capacity and skills of in place-solar and the can survive the customer to a power outage again with little or even no interruption of operation systems (possibly as part of a Microgrid).

The utility side of the counter

There are equal benefit from distributed energy storage on the other side of the counter for all the utilities that generate, transmit or distribute electricity. DES is beneficial for wind power, because those plants far away are usually the hub of a city, in sparsely populated rural settings where winds just the strongest blow. However, the transfer to distant population centers is required. But the real problem with the temperament of the wind, which often tends to evening peak at the energy requirements are relatively low.

Renewable energy certificate (REC) market wind allows manufacturers of credits only for actually makes the grid bring to earn. From this producer there often needed to pay other energy sources (e.g., at night) to qualify production credit for the ramp or shut down at times of low demand reason. In the spring of 2010, for example, the costs for other resources went go offline always as high as 10 ? per kilowatt-hour.

The wind and solar energy requires the periodicity other sources of energy and support network stability with a decrease in wind speed or a lack of sunshine on a cloudy day. For small levels of penetration, such periodicity is easy to accommodate. Greater levels of integration is renewable but this is a problem. Integration of energy storage with distributed solar systems can the battery as a buffer, guaranteed to be a constant and redistributable power from the PV system. Traditional baseload and peaker plants benefit from the demand leveling effect of with a decline of startups and ramp prices, which contribute to reduced equipment, fuels and emissions.

Similar benefits adult transmission and utilities, based on more efficient utilization of existing transmission and distribution (t &:-d)-infrastructure. I2r losses are minimized with the possibility for the transmission and distribution of power in times of low demand. DES makes C & I customers more to participate in request-response programs, and reduce power consumption events even more DR. Changes, including growth in distributed generation and the introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) are less threatening to grid stability. THE system can be operated also to improve grid stability by providing services such as frequency and voltage, and power factor correction.

By increasing the utilization of existing infrastructure in T & D, are utilities to move and possibly avoid a costly expansion or upgrade, as demand grows and increased renewable production. Finally, are North America (and the entire planet for that matter) benefit greater use of clean, renewable energy sources, which are integrated in a stable and reliable power supply. DES can even help, society, to achieve a more important goal: energy independence by greater use of EVS - charged, naturally clean with solar and wind energy.

Conclusion

As the contribution from solar and wind generation rises to 20 percent or more, since it will probably see renewable portfolio standard mandates the provision of distributed energy storage at the edge of the grid provides an opportunity this energy redistribution and firm make clean. In fact, through the provision of services on both sides of the counter, DES has the potential that generated way to transform, electricity, transferred, distributed and consumed. It is for this reason that utilities incentives for their C & I customers, which should provide for deploying intelligent distributed storage from renewable sources.

View the original article here