Page 11 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2017 publication
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Spring 2017 European Energy Innovation                                                11

                                                       ENERGY STORAGE

generation and consumption mix.            the ongoing energy transition. The        at the same time integration of RES
                                           benefits of distributed generation        and the transition to a low carbon
The optimal location of storage is         are can be better seen when there is      economy.
determined by economic, technical,         higher levels of self-consumption and
physical, public acceptance and            when energy storage is a significant      The geopolitical frictions have
political variables. It is now the         part of the distributed system. Also the  underlined the need to strengthen the
moment to reflect on how to                coupling the distributed system with      European security of energy supply.
optimise the EU level energy system        smart grids provides additional value     Using the available renewable and
with an urgent implementation of           to distributed generation.                other domestic energy resources
flexibility solutions to enable more                                                 would mitigate the risks related to
renewables and less curtailment.           The role of thermal storage should also   energy supply. Large-scale energy
Small and medium scale batteries can       be considered in distributed systems.     storage, both for electricity and gas,
be installed quickly, and represent        Existing storage of heat, in the form of  has a key role to play. Today gas
a fast solution at customer or             hot water boilers and the thermal mass    storage can buffer and store the
even distribution grid level. Other        of buildings, is in some circumstances    available energy resources, providing
technologies could provide optimal         of both economic interest and can be      gas, electricity or heat security of
solutions as a function of the specific    quickly installed for usage. Also a more  supply over months. It is expected that
grid needs.                                efficient use of waste heat, especially   energy storage technologies related to
                                           low-temperature heat, could further       the use of electricity, such as chemical
While cables sometimes face criticism,     contribute overall energy efficiency      storage (allowing days and weeks of
local storage benefits from high public    targets.                                  storing capacity), could play a growing
acceptance. In some cases storage                                                    role in relation to security of energy
can provide temporary solutions, until     In general we can see that energy         supply as well.
cables are operational. Hybridisation      storage can be a bridge from
of several technologies seems to be        centralised to distributed generation,    Storage can also improve the system
a new trend in many local projects         which is another path worth to explore    Energy Efficiency - being one of the
in order to ensure clean, secure and       further.                                  cornerstones in the Energy Union - and
affordable electricity, heating and                                                  contribute to an optimal design of the
cooling.                                   The recent geopolitical developments      European energy system at affordable
                                           have increased the focus on energy        costs. As a conclusion, energy storage
Significant progress has been made in      security in the energy system. Energy     allows for energy efficient use of
Power-to-Gas for large scale storage, in   Security can be understood in two         existing assets, including conventional
Power-to-Heat for demand response,         ways, as security of electricity supply   and renewable power generation, and
in battery systems at grid and home        and as security of energy supply. In      can provide energy efficiency benefits
level and other hybrid systems on          both of these cases, storage options      at both the grid and at consumer
islands and remote areas. Power-to-        have strong attributes to contribute to   level. l
Gas technologies are developing            increased levels of security.
very quickly, providing a possibility                                                  © European Union, 2017
to link the electricity grid to other      The security of electricity supply          This document reflects the views
energy grids and uses, like transport      relates to grid stability and power         only of the authors, and the
and industrial feedstock. This should      generation capacity. A number of            Commission cannot be held
provide additional opportunities for       factors have reduced the quantity of        responsible for any use which
integration of higher shares of variable   spare capacity in the grid; increased       may be made of the information
RES. Further progress is required on       load on transmission lines, increased       contained therein.
all technology fronts, as we need a mix    variability in generation and slowly
of all technologies for all sizes and all  decreasing amounts of conventional          Reproduction is authorised
locations.                                 generation capacity. These factors,         provided the source is
                                           if not adapted to, can result in lower      acknowledged.
The trend towards more decentralised       safety margins and increases the risk of
electricity generation and self-           black-outs. Energy storage can support
consumption has been triggered by          reducing these risks while supporting

1) Clean Energy for All Europeans – unlocking Europe’s growth potential- http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-16-4009_en.htm

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