Benefits and Challenges of Energy Storage Technologies in High Penetration Renewable Energy Power Systems

Due to the intermittent power output of renewable energy sources, energy storage has become unavoidable and necessary in grid connected renewable energy systems. This is applicable in grid connected renewable energy integration, transmission, distribution, micro-grid and ancillary services like voltage regulation, frequency regulation and spinning reserves. In this paper, different energy storage systems are studied and presented, with regards to technology advancement, individual benefits, challenges, and applications, considering their influence on the total power system network. Consideration is given to generation, transmission, distribution and applicability. Different energy storage system (ESS) technologies are reviewed and explored together with benefits of ancillary services on energy storage system on grid connected renewable energy sources. The challenges of high penetration level of renewable energy sources on energy storage application in power systems are investigated considering the technical and economic benefits together with challenges. However, the advancement and growth of potential energy storage system is estimated and investigated accordingly.