As the push for electrification increases, so does the pressure on the electricity grid and the need to both make sure electricity is produced with renewables and the grid is able to handle the increase in peak load. Technology development in wind and solar energy has helped address the problem of producing green energy. But since the timing of both sources cannot be controlled by the electricity producers the ability to balance the supply with the demand has become a crucial question.
The “Technology Quarterly” in the June 25th– July 1st, 2022 issue of the Economist reviewed the energy transition reporting on what is already available and what needs additional research and development. They analyzed developments in the demand side of the equation and the use of energy storage to close the gap.
Here is a summary of the report:
Managing demand
Electricity grid producers have seamlessly met the demand by controlling the supply and increasing production by firing up centrally located plants. Not only is solar and wind production not deterministic in time, but it is also distributed with solar panels on houses and wind farms across the region. Controlling the demand side of the equation is still new to utility companies. This problem is being tackled with smart grid solutions that analyze the variable generation and flexibility in demand and with new market models like a “transactive” energy market”.
Companies and organizations working on the smart grid solution include Alphabet which is working to provide a Google Street View-like tool for the grid, Octopus Energy Group in Britain, which allows customers to set preferences for what and when they need devices charged, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the US that analyzed dynamic price signals on a Texas-sized grid. New market models are being pioneered by Energy Web in Australia and Enel X, an Italian electricity company.
Storing energy
Storage is needed not just to time-shift energy from renewables, but also to stabilize grids and keep energy near where it will be used to avoid grid congestion.
The most familiar energy storage device is the Lithium-ion battery which is used in electric vehicles. The constraints on lithium supply might limit the use of this solution in electricity grids. Going beyond the Lithium-ion battery, companies like Energy Dome are researching 4 types of energy storage: mechanical, electrochemical, thermal, and chemical.
Pumped-storage hydropower (PSH), storing gas under pressure, and raising heavy solid blocks are examples of mechanical energy storage. Companies like ESS and Form Energy use iron, which is more readily available for electrochemical batteries. Companies like Antora and Rondo Energy provide thermal energy stores by heating up material that can be later used in energy generation. An example of chemical storage is splitting water with excess renewable energy and then storing hydrogen that can be burned later to produce electricity.
Whether the electricity grid is ready to handle the increased demand or not, the looming climate catastrophe is pushing us towards electrification of energy use and innovation in demand management and energy storage must rise to the challenge.
