Stationary battery systems in the main world markets: Part 1: Overview of the state-of-the-art

The role of energy storage systems (ESSs) is becoming more and more important in modern power grids, mainly because of the higher penetration of intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs), such as solar and wind power, spurred by advantageous support policies carried out in several countries. The fluctuation nature of the energy produced by RESs is indeed leading to emerging power quality issues or to renewable curtailments. ESSs can be used to balance generation and demand of electricity over time, allowing a higher penetration of RESs into the power network. The energy storage industry is evolving rapidly, and new electrochemical technologies are entering the market. Besides, most electrochemical technologies have a high cost reduction potential and they will probably attract more and more attention in the scientific, industrial and political context. This paper is the first of a two part series, aiming to provide an overview of stationary battery systems in the major world markets, identifying the ESS technologies most widely used in each storage market. In this first paper, an overview of the state-of-the-art in electrochemical storage systems is provided and the positions of some world markets on the development of ESSs is shown. Furthermore, a description of the main ESS technologies used in stationary applications is carried out and the main trends are also identified, with reference to the main electrochemical technologies currently spread in the main world markets. This has been done analyzing the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) storage database, containing details about electrochemical projects installed in each country. The analysis carried out in this work could help stakeholders to assess the impact of energy storage policies in different countries, identifying the future trends and the most promising markets around the world.