InnoBlog: Why energy storage is vital for a renewable future

The Energy Storage Association has elaborated on the benefits of investing in storage for long term reliability [1]. Some of the benefits include:

Improves grid reliability: Due to the intermittent nature of renewable sources, even the technologies are unable to operate optimally during low periods and hence, can cause disruptions in power supply. Having storage technologies enables consumers to enjoy an uninterrupted power supply without worries. It also creates room for flexibility in the integration of additional renewable resources and makes it easier to match the load if changes to the existing system are initialised.

Reduced costs: Storage supports cost reduction because the one-time investment made in storage offsets operational costs and disruptions to the power supply which just adds to the bill.

Environmental Benefits: Storage helps in optimising the efficiencies of renewable technologies which consequentially reduces harmful emissions and pollutions.

These benefits highlight the importance of establishing an energy storage system in our industry as we transition towards a more sustainable infrastructure. Hence, there is a need for skilled professionals to research, develop and commercialise the use of energy storage technologies whilst conducting techno-economical feasibility studies on the same. I would like to be a part of this development as it will mean providing a sustainable future for generations to come!

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A wide selection of energy storage technologies is available for use in the industry as the need for energy storage grows, for example:

Chemical Energy Storage: This type of storage comprises of Hydrogen Storage, Synthetic Fuels and Chemicals. This type of storage technology is emerging to be highly efficient and involves processes such as electrolysis and re-electrification. There are plenty of developments in this area such as the European Green Hydrogen Acceleration Centre, led by EIT InnoEnergy, which seeks to speed up the commercialisation of this type of technology.

Electrochemical Energy Storage: This consists of Batteries and Supercapacitors. These are the most accessible and widely used forms of storage. Some of the commonly known batteries are Lithium-ion batteries which are used in electronic devices. Supercapacitors are an electrochemical technology that operates longer and with higher efficiency than that of batteries to store energy. Companies in this field are growing exponentially! An example of this is Northvolt, EIT InnoEnergy-supported company developing Lithium-ion batteries for automotive, grid and industrial solution.

Mechanical and thermal energy storage are also amongst the technologies available which are gaining momentum for different types of applications. The versatility in the availability of energy storage proves that energy storage is at the forefront of renewable growth across all sectors. The currently available technologies are constantly being developed and improved to meet the growing needs of humankind and to account for the discrepancies in renewable technologies. Soon, as we transition to sustainable, smart cities, we can see how such infrastructures are supported by energy storage!

References

[1] https://energystorage.org/why-energy-storage/benefits/

By Sharon Santhosh, EIT InnoEnergy Master’s in Energy Storage student

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3 November 2021. 15.00 CET. There has never been greater demand for engineers with the new-generation technical skills, the digital know-how and the business understanding to drive the next revolution in sustainable energy - energy storage!

Meet EIT InnoEnergy Master’s in Energy Storage team from all partner universities: Prof. Fatima Montemor from Instituto Superior Técnico, Prof. Silvia Bodoardo from Politecnico di Torino and Prof. Annukka Santasalo-Aarnio from Aalto University to discuss programme’s curriculum, thesis opportunities, career after graduation and any other programme related topics!

INTERESTED IN LAUNCHING A CAREER IN THIS EXCITING FIELD?