Developments in storage.
Defining the speed of energy and utility industry evolution
Energy storage is a transformative technology—it has the potential to change everything. The technology and its application hold promise for solving problems related to renewable grid integration, ancillary services, reliability, and customer-side uses such as back-up power and demand response. Ultimately developments in storage will define the speed of evolution within the energy and utility industry.
There are many storage technologies and potential applications are generating significant attention:
As storage develops into a distributed device, its value and number of potential applications for utilities are beginning to significantly increase. (? Not sure where the original bullet came from, I would remove?)
Fast-response storage is can be more effective in providing ancillary services, especially frequency regulation and currently is being implemented in many ISO areas.
Community energy storage is a game changer. Located in the customer’s back yard, storage offers the ability for utilities to improve reliability, defer distribution upgrades, and provide guaranteed demand response capabilities.
Energy storage can act as a tool for future grids, creating a balancing mechanism and buffer as customer-based, distributed renewable generation added to the grid doubles every year.
State of energy storage technology development
Ultimately the technology that provides multiple values—including frequency regulation, peak shaving, backup, frequency regulation—is the hot technology to pursue. And there is a need for new storage technology development. There has been demonstrated success with high-value, short duration / time and with multi-hour (6 – 7 hour) battery technologies. Still needed is the 1 – 5 hour battery technology that will offer a huge opportunity and better cost points. In this range energy storage will take off even faster.
In the US, significant Congressional and ARRA stimulus funding efforts are underway to further develop and promote electricity storage. However, a number of broad policy issues that are barriers to adoption of storage by the electric energy industry need to be addressed. This includes defining energy storage as its own asset class – neither a generation asset nor a transmission asset.
About the Utility of the Future conference
KEMA’s 2nd annual Utility of the Future executive conference was held June 18 – 19, 2009 in Washington DC.
For information on the panel participants and keynote speakers, download the conference summary Whitepaper, “Utility of the Future: Navigating energy sustainability.”
Thoughts, comments or insights? Join the KEMA Utility of the Future conversation.
KEMA’s 2nd annual Utility of the Future conference session summaries.
The utility industry is at a point of historic transformation. Communications, collaboration and innovation are key to how well utilities will fare in a fast-paced, always-on future.
Transforming the sustainable energy future requires significant investment in smart grid, energy efficiency and renewable technologies.
The Smart Grid is the foundation for Smart Energy.
Rules make markets. And rules are driving the immediate action on Smart Grid.
There continues to be significant regulatory uncertainty in energy generation—particularly so in light of the American Climate and Energy Security Act.
The utility industry expects to see new carbon policy limiting carbon emissions during the current administration.
Plug-in vehicles (PEVs) have become a topic of focus of bulk system operators, along with demand response, renewables and smart grid.
Smart grid technology is a bridge that connects generation supply, demand and customers. To make it work, we need to know what customers are going to do.