An energy storage system (ESS) for electricity generation uses electricity (or some other energy source, such as solar-thermal energy) to charge an energy storage system or device, which is discharged to supply (generate) electricity when needed at desired levels and quality. ESSs provide a variety of services to support electric power grids.
Meanwhile, the severe impacts caused by large power system incidents highlight the urgent demand for high-efficiency, large-scale energy storage technology.
The application of energy storage technology in power system can postpone the upgrade of transmission and distribution systems, relieve the transmission line congestion, and solve the issues of power system security, stability and reliability.
As of the end of 2022, the total nameplate power capacity of operational utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) in the United States was 8,842 MW and the total energy capacity was 11,105 MWh. Most of the BESS power capacity that was operational in 2022 was installed after 2014, and about 4,807 MW was installed in 2022 alone.
The application scenarios of energy storage technologies are reviewed and investigated, and global and Chinese potential markets for energy storage applications are described. The challenges of large-scale energy storage application in power systems are presented from the aspect of technical and economic considerations.
In the past decade, the implementation of battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a modular design has grown significantly, proving to be highly advantageous for large-scale grid-tied applications. However, despite its increasing prevalence, there is a noticeable absence of review papers dedicated to this specific topic.