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Emerging Technologies for Bulk Energy Storage
E SOURCE, July 2004, Pages: 43
A review of the technologies and applications for bulk energy storage.
Technological advances have brought several new bulk energy storage technologies to the brink of commercialization, and others may join them in the near future. Three new rechargeable battery systems—based on sodium-sulfur, anadium-redox, and zinc-bromide batteries—that can store enough energy for a variety of utility and end-user applications are in the early stages of commercialization. Other forms of energy storage, including high-speed flywheels, have demonstrated technical viability and are now approaching commercialization. Some fully commercialized technologies that have long been applied in other contexts—such as nickel-cadmium batteries—are now finding niches in certain bulk storage applications. And, finally, new technologies that have not yet found commercial application, such as hydrogen storage and a novel compressed-air system that uses a man-made storage chamber, are in development and appear to hold promise for some niches.
These technological developments are occurring in the context of a business environment that is increasingly receptive to solutions for at least three types of rather vexing problems: an overstressed transmission and distribution system, the vulnerability of the electricity supply system to intentional disruption, and an ever-increasing demand for improved power quality and reliability. We think energy storage has tremendous potential to address these problems and expect to see a steadily growing number of installations over the next decade. For some of the technologies we report on, costs are currently far too high for any commercial application, but for others, it is merely a question of identifying niches where benefits already exceed costs and reducing costs through product refinement and increased production.
In many cases, energy storage systems provide multiple benefits to multiple entities. Therefore, a challenge that all storage technologies face is developing and gaining acceptance for models that fairly evaluate the benefits and apportion the costs to all affected parties.
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