This article will start with the definition, classification, and development trends of various types of renewable energy storage, and explore its functions and market prospects in detail.
1.What is renewable energy storage?
Renewable energy storage technologies can be divided into two categories: physics and chemistry. Physical storage technologies include electricity storage (pumped water energy storage, compressed air energy storage, flywheel energy storage, superconducting energy storage, etc.) and thermal storage (sensible heat storage, phase change thermal storage, etc.).
Chemical energy storage includes electricity storage (lithium-ion batteries/sodium-sulfur batteries/flow batteries/fuel cells/supercapacitors/hydrogen storage and other electrochemical energy storage) and thermal storage (thermochemical heat storage).
2.Existing problems and challenges of renewable energy storage
The intermittency and randomness of renewable energy storage brings huge challenges to the power balance of the power system. To deal with the power imbalance problem between renewable energy wind/photovoltaic power generation and electricity loads, we need to rely on energy storage technologies.
That is, storing electrical energy in an energy storage system when there is more electrical energy, and discharging the energy storage system when there is insufficient electrical energy. Supplement electrical energy.
In addition to realizing energy translation in time, energy storage technology can also realize energy translation in space, that is, energy storage is carried out in areas rich in renewable energy, and then the energy storage medium is transported to energy-deficient areas for stable utilization.
3.Physical energy storage technology
3.1 Renewable energy storage
- Pumped water energy storage: Pumped water energy storage is a type of energy storage with mature technology and a high coverage rate at home and abroad.
- Compressed air energy storage: Compressed air energy storage is characterized by large capacity. At the same time, compressed air energy storage can store energy for a long time.
- Flywheel energy storage: flywheel energy storage is characterized by its high power density and long service life.
- Superconducting energy storage: Superconducting renewable energy storage has high conversion rate and fast response speed
3.2 Thermal storage renewable energy storage
- Sensible heat storage: Sensible heat storage has a wide heat storage temperature range and is used in fields such as photovoltaic energy storage and thermal power generation.
- Phase change heat storage: The phase change enthalpy of phase change heat storage is large. This renewable energy storage is characterized by its high energy density and small system volume.
4. Chemical energy storage technology
- Electrochemical energy storage: This energy storage has initially entered commercialization and large-scale application. The lithium-ion batteries can be divided into lithium iron phosphate, ternary lithium titanate,.
In addition, there are sodium-sulfur batteries, liquid Flow batteries, fuel cells (hydrogen, methanol, molten carbonates and solid oxides, etc.), hydrogen production from water electrolysis (multiple types of energy interconnection between electricity, gas, and transportation) and supercapacitors.
- Thermal energy storage: Thermal energy storage has a high thermal storage density, so it can achieve long-term storage.
Comprehensive comparison of the maturity and scenario applicability of the above energy storage technologies, the following conclusions can be drawn:
Pumped hydro energy storage technology is relatively mature, but it relies on large reservoirs, which limits the further development of energy storage;
Compressed air energy storage technology is environmentally friendly and suitable for large-scale development. At the same time, it can be coupled with thermal energy utilization to promote the heat absorption of renewable energy, and has good prospects for the development of renewable energy storage;
Thermal storage technology is suitable for large heat demands, large amounts of renewable energy thermal form consumption requirements, etc. It can also play an important role in space-time thermoelectric decoupling in thermal power conversion systems that require heat.
In the future, renewable energy storage will account for a high proportion. There will be continued development in the energy system;
Hydrogen energy storage technology has high energy density and can achieve large-scale storage and long-term regulation. The cooperation of hydrogen storage-fuel cell, hydrogen storage-pipeline-gas turbine-grid further expands the application scope of power-to-gas energy storage.
This energy storage technology is also a energy storage large-scale energy storage technology with development potential, but its energy conversion efficiency is still low at present and requires technological innovation;
Electrochemical energy storage technology represented by lithium batteries has initially entered commercialization and large-scale application. Combined with the demand for lithium battery technology in electric vehicles, it will develop faster.
However, due to its generally low electrochemical energy storage capacity, it is The application of large-scale energy storage access is limited, but it can be used as capacity energy storage (pumped water energy storage and compressed air energy storage) to adjust the grid frequency.
Superconducting energy storage technology has obvious advantages in solving power quality problems such as instantaneous power outages and voltage sag in the power grid. However, due to its high cost, this type of renewable energy storage is currently rarely used.
5. Summary
To sum up, large-scale renewable energy consumption requires both large-scale capacity guarantee of physical energy storage and rapid response of chemical energy storage. The efficient combination of the two will be the key technology for renewable energy storage in the future.
In physical energy storage, advanced compressed air energy storage technology uses ordinary air for energy storage, does not require large reservoirs, and can achieve zero carbon emissions through coupled thermal storage technology.
The cost is significantly reduced after large-scale (unlike chemical energy storage). It will occupy an important position in future energy systems with a relatively high proportion of renewable energy storage.
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