The different types of energy storage can be grouped into five broad technology categories: Within these they can be broken down further in application scale to utility-scale or the bulk system, customer-sited and residential. In addition, with the electrification of transport, there is a further mobile application category. 1. Battery storage
Energy storage is an enabling technology for various applications such as power peak shaving, renewable energy utilization, enhanced building energy systems, and advanced transportation. Energy storage systems can be categorized according to application.
Storage systems with higher energy density are often used for long-duration applications such as renewable energy load shifting . Table 3. Technical characteristics of energy storage technologies. Double-layer capacitor. Vented versus sealed is not specified in the reference. Energy density evaluated at 60 bars.
Zakeri and Syri also report that the most cost-efficient energy storage systems are pumped hydro and compressed air energy systems for bulk energy storage, and flywheels for power quality and frequency regulation applications.
This article encapsulates the various methods used for storing energy. Energy storage technologies encompass a variety of systems, which can be classified into five broad categories, these are: mechanical, electrochemical (or batteries), thermal, electrical, and hydrogen storage technologies.
Lithium-ion batteries are the most widely used type of batteries in energy storage systems due to their decreasing cost over the years. As of 2024, the average cost for lithium-ion batteries has dropped significantly to R2,500 per kilowatt-hour (kWh), making energy storage systems more financially viable and accessible for businesses.