The solar boom is underway in many parts of the world. As more grids feature solar panel installations, reliance on battery-based energy systems has increased, too. Why should you expect battery energy storage to continue rising in popularity as the green energy revolution persists?
Easing Peak Demands During Temperature Extremes
There is a well-established link between extreme temperatures and grid strain. When people use their air conditioners or heaters more often to keep their homes at habitable temperatures, the electricity infrastructure is affected. However, if certain areas lack sufficient grid resilience, widespread power outages can result.
Fortunately, battery storage systems can hold energy to use during those peak periods, providing relief that keeps the grid stable. It is particularly convenient if electricity use among residents remains high even after the sun goes down.
That was the case during periods of extreme heat in Texas in 2024, when people still needed to use their air conditioners after sunset. Batteries played a big role in helping the grid cope with demand. During the evening of August 20, stored energy sent to the infrastructure reached a record high of 3,927 megawatts. Battery-based systems allowed operators to avoid many other alternatives during heightened demand. For example, consumers sometimes receive emergency power backups, or operators must agree to rolling outages.
Keeping Power Available During Storms
Strong storms can be highly disruptive, even in areas relatively well-prepared for them. When high winds knock down power lines, restoration can take longer than customers imagine. That is often because of safety concerns forcing repair crews to wait until the inclement weather passes or calms.
However, people are typically less bothered by power outages if they have backup options, which is one reason homeowners in some areas consider generators must-have items. Battery energy storage systems are increasingly available alternatives. Many individuals are already familiar with charging their power banks so they can replenish their phone batteries without needing outlets. Why not rely on a similar strategy when there is no electricity at home?
That option may be more available than people first realize. Some electric vehicles offer bidirectional charging capabilities, so people can use their batteries to run those automobiles or power their homes. The specifics vary by model, but some solutions can keep the lights on at home for several days. Even if power outages last longer than that, most people appreciate the dual functionality of their car batteries becoming residential emergency electricity.
Another significant advantage of battery-based energy storage systems is their scalability. Households or businesses can determine how much power they need and install enough batteries to accommodate those specifics.
Such flexibility is ideal for organizations with varying requirements based on the time of year or production plans. For example, one facility has hundreds of battery packs that hold up to 730 megawatt-hours of electricity, capturing excess power from natural gas. The same concept applies to renewable energy, making it a prominent option in a greener future.
Reducing Supply Chain Challenges
As more researchers and stakeholders realize that battery-based energy storage could meet many current and future needs, some have investigated how to solve known difficulties with current batteries and their components. One of the main concerns is that lithium-ion batteries use so-called rare-earth minerals, which are not always easy to source. They come from a relatively small number of places in the world. Ironing out the specifics can be tricky since there are so many countries trying to source them.
One research team believes that polymer zinc-ion batteries could become viable alternatives. These options retain their efficiency after numerous charge cycles. Experiments also indicate that these stable and energy-dense batteries have various potential real-world applications. Besides using them for battery energy storage systems, some possibilities could be in much smaller enclosures, allowing them to fit inside something as small and slender as a necktie.
For example, the researchers put one of these high-tech batteries directly into an electric fan and found that the blades spun smoothly and continuously. It is easy to imagine how backpackers, outdoor concert attendees or anyone trying to cope with a hot, humid day would appreciate such an option.
Despite these promising outcomes in the lab, people must overcome other obstacles, including those associated with scaling up these efforts to show commercial viability. Even though these creations may reduce or eliminate dependence on rare-earth minerals, those involved can expect to encounter other challenges. A willingness to think creatively and collaboratively will make managing those obstacles easier.
Supporting the Circular Economy
Increasing clean energy dependence is an important part of a sustainable future, but there are other crucial elements, too. One area of interest concerns reusing materials to build new battery energy storage systems. Then, people can prevent useful materials from ending up in landfills. Such efforts are an important part of facilitating the circular economy by keeping resources in service for as long as possible.
A challenge of the transition to greener energy sources is that recycling is less sustainable than people often realize. Solar panels and electric vehicle batteries, for example, are very difficult to process. Additional complications arise since some localities do not have well-established programs for consumers to use when it is time to part with panels or batteries.
Thankfully, ongoing awareness of the problem has forced people to develop creative solutions that may eventually achieve larger overall adoption rates. The battery energy storage systems used in industrial facilities may be massive out of necessity, making them excellent content for recycled products or materials.
One made from recycled electric car batteries contains an astounding 4,400 energy modules, highlighting the extensive needs of the factory using it. This option has a 5-megawatt capacity with a 10-megawatt-hour energy content. An additional feature allows people to use it in a 20% overloaded state for brief periods. This possibility shows why it often makes good business sense to examine existing resources rather than immediately assuming it is necessary to build products from scratch.
Enabling Green Energy Adoption
These are some of the many reasons why battery-based energy systems will remain critical parts of people’s storage plans, whether those involve their homes or businesses. Factors such as weather-related variations mean renewable energy production may fluctuate. Batteries can fill gaps when that happens, assuring people that clean power provides the reliability they demand.
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