Energy Storage Growth Good News For Renewable Energy

Renewable energy means clear, sustainable power delivered to locations across the globe, whether its solar panels on rooftops or wind turbines out at sea. However, theres one major issue that stops renewables from providing 100 per cent of our energy - the Earth. When the winds have died down or overcast weather is blocking the sun, turbines and solar panels go dark. Energy storage is the way forward and it could finally be on the cusp of becoming a reality. Fossil fuels for energy generation could soon become obsolete. WHAT IS ENERGY STORAGE? This term is used to describe systems that hold energy for use at a later time - key for renewables that generate power at various times. While solar panels now can provide power throughout the day, they essentially become useless at night. Energy storage mitigates this issue by saving the energy generated by panels in peak sunlight, where it can then be used when its most needed, often when everyone returns home after school or work. THE FOUR CHALLENGES The US Department of Energy noted the four challenges to viable energy storage were cost, industry acceptance, competitive storage technologies and validated reliability/safety. In a paper released by the department, the necessary solutions were outlined. These included field trials, research and development programs and targeted scientific investigation. GROWING ENERGY STORAGE In a report published earlier this year, Navigant Research explained that a significant number of new energy storage projects are on the way. Around 362.2 megawatts of storage projects have been announced in the past year. Interestingly, the projects have a nearly even spread across the globe: * North America: 103.MW * Asia Pacific: 100.5 MW * Western Europe 91.1 MW North America was noted as a sector pushing the storage market forward, thanks to the deployment of commercial and demonstration grid-scale projects. "Western Europe - Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom in particular - is also leading the market with utility-scale advanced battery and power-to-gas installations and announcements," the report said. Energy storage is certainly the solution to overcome renewable energy challenges and finally ensure sustainable energy management. Of course, a significant amount of research and development will be necessary over the next few years. Next year will likely bring a substantial number of advancements in energy storage.

Origin: alt-energy-solutions.blogspot.com