Battery energy storage systems offer power grids key opportunities for better flexibility, renewable energy integration, and reliable power supply by storing excess renewable energy during low demand times to release during peak demand enabling higher renewable energy penetration and supporting global decarbonisation goals.
The report highlights the importance of sector coupling as a key source of flexibility that cities can explore to stabilise power grid operations when integrating high shares of variable renewable energy sources.
Market expansion for renewable mini-grids depends on establishing trustworthy quality infrastructure (QI). Smart technologies to integrate solar and wind power require international and national QI.
Thermal energy storage (TES) can help to integrate high shares of renewable energy in power generation, industry and buildings. This outlook identifies priorities for research and development.
Electricity storage will be crucial factor for scaling up solar and wind power. Yet electricity markets may not account for the system value of storage.
IRENA's workshop brought together experts from the field of offshore energy and provided a platform for conversations, debates and new collaborations between academia, government and industry.
These briefs explore enabling technologies for large-scale use of solar and wind power. Building on a wider Innovation Landscape study, the set covers innovations in batteries, electric vehicle charging, artificial intelligence, Blockchain and other technologies.
The synergies between electrification of end-use sectors and accelerated renewables deployment are very strong. But during the conference it was stressed that smart approaches to electrification are crucial to harness the synergies.
With solar and wind installation breaking new records each year, countries with ambitious plans for these renewable power-generation technologies must consider the best ways to integrate variable renewables onto the grid. Electricity storage is a key option available to manage variability and ensure reliable, round-the-clock supply. Declining costs and improving capacities have made batteries and other storage technologies increasingly practical for upgrading existing power systems.
Energy storage capabilities are crucial for the integration of high levels variable renewable sources, such as solar and wind energy, onto the power grid.