It has been reassuring
to see the trend towards renewable energy developing over the past decade,
proving that we are becoming more sustainable. Public opinion appears to have
exerted sufficient influence to create a unified movement towards renewable energy.
Now that we are moving
in this direction, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the devil is in the
detail, as we are faced with the daily complex technical challenges that stand
in the way of genuine sustainable energy production. Energy storage is an emerging
technology that is playing an ever more vital role in overcoming these
challenges.
With increasing levels
of renewable energy being captured and funneled into network grids, utilities
companies are facing the challenging process of aligning intermittent renewable
energy generation with their traditional energy supply.
The problem with intermittent renewable energy
generation
This unpredictability
causes two distinct problems:
1.
Many existing energy
grid infrastructures are unable to accommodate the influx of renewable energy
at peak generation times (e.g. sunny / windy days), resulting in waste. Any
renewable energy supplied in excess of infrastructure capacity is rejected. In
order to accommodate the renewable energy onto the grid infrastructure upgrades
would be required, representing a significant investment.
2.
When lower levels of
renewable energy are available to the grid, utilities providers need to replace
it with traditional energy, which can take time and incur additional costs.
The levels of waste
combined with the risk of additional costs, mean that accommodating more
renewable energy can appear a challenging proposition for utilities companies.
Unsurprisingly, this has caused many to look for solutions to overcome these
grid constraints.
One company's energy storage solution
Westnetz, the largest distribution
system operator in Germany (and a subsidiary of RWE International), was facing
these challenges on rural grids due to increasing levels of solar PV generation
on their network, particularly in summer months. The reinforcement of network
infrastructure with new distribution lines and transformers would have been far
from cheap in terms of time and labour. They were searching for an alternative
solution which could be implemented until long-term infrastructure improvements
could be undertaken.
Parker worked closely with Westnetz
to provide a solution that ticked all the right boxes. The 250kW energy
storage system, comprising a Parker 890PX series grid-tie inverter paired
with LG Chem Lithium-Ion batteries, had a capacity of 1MWh storage, more
than enough to support the local grid at peak times. This particular system was
supplied in a 40 ft ISO shipping container, which can be relocated to different
areas of the power grid as required. The system has enabled Westnetz to
successfully store excess energy generated during sunny periods and release it
back onto the grid according to demand.
The demand for solutions like
this demonstrate a clear paradigm shift in photovoltaic (PV) energy provision, requiring
a revised approach that fully integrates energy storage as an integral part of
the solution. If the aim is to increase the ratio of renewable energy as part
of our overall consumption, then there is a clear requirement to offset the
unpredictability inherent in its supply.
Storage systems such
as these provide utilities companies with the flexibility to be able to
accommodate unpredictable supply of renewable energy, reducing the likelihood
of curtailing solar PV generation whilst ensuring stable and consistent power
for customers. The Parker / Westnetz collaborative project demonstrates the
importance of energy storage in supporting emerging trends in renewable energy
production, providing the flexibility to accommodate the sustainable energy
progress that we are all hoping for.
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