Introduction to energy storage in communication systems

Why do we need energy storage systems?

Energy storage systems help to bridge the gap between power generation and demand and are useful for systems with high variability or generation-demand mismatch.

Are energy storage systems a key enabling technology for renewable power generation?

Energy storage systems that can operate over minute by minute, hourly, weekly, and even seasonal timescales have the capability to fully combat renewable resource variability and are a key enabling technology for deep penetration of renewable power generation.

What are common energy storage metrics?

A summary of common metrics and their definitions is provided in Table 1. These metrics emphasize that significant details are required to fully characterize an energy storage system that may need to operate flexibly in response to grid demands, i.e., at different charge/storage/discharge profiles and different power rates.

What is energy storage technology?

The development of thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy storage technologies addresses challenges created by significant penetration of variable renewable energy sources into the electricity mix.

Are energy storage systems scalable?

Many mature and emerging energy storage technologies utilize combinations of thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy to meet storage demands over a variety of conditions. These systems offer the potential for better scalability than electrochemical batteries.

Are energy storage systems commercially viable?

Another important point is that the commercial viability of an energy storage system is typically a function of both performance and cost, i.e., a lower-cost system may be viable even with reduced performance or vice versa. Table 1. Performance and cost metrics for energy storage systems.