Anthony J. Pennings, PhD

WRITINGS ON DIGITAL ECONOMICS, ENERGY STRATEGIES, AND GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and a Sustainable Future

Posted on | September 16, 2024 | No Comments

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are transforming renewable energies by addressing key challenges associated with intermittent power generation from sources like solar and wind. Sometimes called long-duration energy storage (LDES), their role is critical in supporting the transition to a low-carbon energy future by enabling the expansion of renewable energy, electrifying transportation, and providing energy resilience in many sectors. Currently, the leading companies are CATL, BYD, Hitachi, LGChem, Panasonic, Samsung, Sumitomo, and Tesla. BESS companies are helping to integrate more renewable energy into power grids and making these sources more viable as part of the energy mix.

While lithium-ion batteries remain the cornerstone of the renewable energy storage revolution, other battery types like solid-state, lithium iron phosphate battery (LFP), and especially sodium-ion batteries are emerging as important alternatives, especially for grid storage. These various energy technologies are helping to address the key challenges of storage, cost, scalability, and safety of battery storage. Innovations in these areas will make the transition to a cleaner and sustainable energy future much more feasible.

BESS technologies are most needed in applications that require energy storage to stabilize electric grids, integrate renewables, manage peak demand, and ensure reliable backup power. Solar and wind are experiencing a remarkable price decline. The sun’s rays send 173,000 terawatts (173 petawatts) of energy daily to the whole Earth, more than 10,000 times the amount currently used by humans worldwide. So it makes more and more sense to capture that live rather than burning the natural containers (cellulose, coal, oil) stored historically by the Earth. This is to say, the potential for solar and wind energy is immense, but it will require BESS to make it work. Here are the key ways BESS are changing renewable energy:

BESS can be used to stabilize intermittent energy supplies. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind are intermittent and produce power only when the sun shines or the wind blows. BESS allow for the storage of excess energy generated during peak production times (e.g., midday for solar) and then release it during periods when generation is low (e.g., nighttime for solar or calm days for wind). This capability helps stabilize the energy supply, ensuring that renewable energy is available even when natural conditions are not ideal. Furthermore, it reduces the reliance on fossil-fuel backup systems.

BESS provide grid flexibility by offering frequency regulation, voltage support, and load balancing.[1] In traditional grids, fossil fuel plants are often used to manage fluctuations in energy demand or sudden drops in supply. Still, BESS technologies can respond much more quickly to these fluctuations. This responsiveness improves the overall reliability of the power grid, allowing for a smoother integration of renewables without causing instability or blackouts.

One of the significant benefits of BESS is peak shaving, which helps reduce the demand on the grid during high-demand periods. BESS can discharge stored renewable energy when demand is at its highest, which reduces the need for additional power plants or peaker plants (often fossil-fuel-based) to come online. This capability reduces costs and emissions while making renewable energy more competitive against traditional power generation sources.

BESS are enabling greater energy independence by supporting microgrids and off-grid systems. Homes, businesses, and communities with BESS and local renewable energy sources like solar panels and windmills can reduce their reliance on central power grids. In rural or remote areas, BESS allow for the storage of renewable energy in isolated systems, ensuring a consistent power supply without needing extensive transmission infrastructure.

The cost of BESS, particularly lithium-ion and lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, has fallen dramatically in recent years, making large-scale energy storage systems more affordable. As the technology improves, energy storage and discharged transmission efficiency have also increased, meaning less energy is lost during the process. As manufacturing facilities are optimized, costs decrease. The average price of a 20-foot DC BESS container in the US was US$180/kWh in 2023 but is expected to fall to US$148/kWh this year, according to Energy-Storage. These cost reductions make it economically viable to store renewable energy for longer durations, contributing to the overall decline in the cost of renewable energy compared to traditional fossil fuel sources.

BESS play a critical role in realizing the vision of 100% sustainable energy systems. With sufficient energy storage, renewable sources can provide power 24/7, eliminating the need for fossil fuels as a backup in many locations. Long-duration energy storage solutions, which can store power for days or weeks, are emerging and could further boost the reliability of renewables, allowing them to complement or replace baseload energy generation from coal, gas, or nuclear plants.

By allowing renewable energy to be stored and used when needed, BESS help reduce reliance on fossil fuel-based power plants that typically provide backup energy during periods of high demand or low renewable generation. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and supports the transition to a low-carbon economy. As more renewables are integrated into the grid, BESS can mitigate the need for fossil fuels, directly contributing to climate change mitigation efforts.

BESS are also driving change in renewable energy through their connection to other important sectors such as transportation, industry, and buildings. The electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is often criticized for using electricity produced by burning fossil fuels. As EV adoption grows, battery energy storage systems can help manage the increased load on the grid by storing excess renewable energy and using it to charge vehicles during off-peak hours.[2] This integration, known as sector coupling, links the electricity grid with other sectors, such as buildings and industry to optimize their use of resources. The goal is to reduce the use of fossil fuels by increasing the use of renewable energy across a wide variety of sector uses in transportation as well as the heating/cooling sectors, allowing for better use of renewable energy across different areas of the economy and making the world and its oceans much cleaner and safer.

Conclusion

BESS are revolutionizing the renewable energy landscape by addressing key issues like intermittency, grid stability, and peak demand management. They allow for greater integration of renewables into power grids, provide energy independence, and enable a more reliable and flexible energy system. As costs continue to decline and the technology improves, BESS are expected to play an increasingly crucial role in the global transition toward a sustainable, low-carbon energy future.

Notes

[1] Pennings, A.J. (2023, Sept 29). ICTs for SDG 7: Twelve Ways Digital Technologies can Support Energy Access for All. apennings.com https://apennings.com/science-and-technology-studies/icts-for-sdg-7-twelve-ways-digital-technologies-can-support-energy-access-for-all/
[2] Pennings, A.J. (2022, Apr 22). Wireless Charging Infrastructure for EVs: Snack and Sell? apennings.com https://apennings.com/mobile-technologies/wireless-charging-infrastructure-for-evs-snack-and-sell/
Note: Chat GPT was used for parts of this post. Multiple prompts were used and parsed.

Citation APA (7th Edition)

Pennings, A.J. (2024, Sep 16). Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and a Sustainable Future. apennings.com https://apennings.com/smart-new-deal/battery-energy-storage-systems-bess-and-a-sustainable-future/

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AnthonybwAnthony J. Pennings, PhD is a professor at the Department of Technology and Society, State University of New York, Korea teaching broadband policy and ICT for sustainable development. From 2002-2012 he was on the faculty of New York University where he taught digital economics and information systems management. He lives in Austin, Texas, when not in the Republic of Korea.

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    Professor at State University of New York (SUNY) Korea since 2016. Moved to Austin, Texas in August 2012 to join the Digital Media Management program at St. Edwards University. Spent the previous decade on the faculty at New York University teaching and researching information systems, digital economics, and strategic communications.

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