Energy Storage Technologies in

Europe

LITERATURE REVIEW
ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGY IN EUROPE
Alicia Maria Benitez Britos.
MBE-16-030

EE-

Abstract
The purpose of this study is to inquire about the energy storage technologies
available in Europe and their state of the art. For these reason a literature
review was done, analyzing related information of different scientists in the
past years taking in consideration aspect as market, obstacles to overcome,
environment and consumers necessities
Key Words:
Energy storage Storage technology electricity generation- Market
batteries
1. Introduction
It is necessary to achieve a reliable and efficient power system
configuration, as response to the new advances in energy production and
consumers performance such as T. Versteeg said in the publication called
Exploring emerging battery technology for grid-connected energy storage
with Constructive Technology Assessment, (T. Versteeg, 2016). According
to Pazouki, the possibility of consumers participation in the energy
generation grid in order to decrease their energy productions cost will be
a benefit, not only for consumers; moreover will be profitable to cost
reduction in generator starting, in peak times and for preventing huge
investment of transmission lines expansion, (S. Pazouki, 2014).
Both authors, Versteeg and Pazouki, agree that the current scenario must
change to meet future needs. This implies, look up for new technologies
that allow the storage of energy in a safe, efficient and with costs that
allow its implementation, as it refers Versteeg. The question to be
answered is what is the path that the scientific and industrial community
proposes to find the best solution from the point of view of technical, cost
and care of the environment.
2. Market perception about storage technology
To make the distribution of energy storage economically viable, diverse
chemistries, as Lithium-Polymer, Lithium-Sulphur and Metal-Air batteries,

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Energy Storage Technologies in

Europe

are gifted. However, to fix the problem of the energy storage, it not only a
matter of the materials quality of the battery in (Cornelius M. Berger,
2015)self, otherwise a cooperation of more actors is necessary, as it says
Versteeg. He studied the expectations of different stakeholders, making a
literature review of scientific literature on storage technology and related
power grid developments, and empirical research with surveys and
interviews about the expectations held by experts and stakeholders on
the issue, (T. Versteeg, 2016).
As conclusion, Versteeg has observed that researchers are focused more on
high energy density batteries, aiming at lightweight, small size batteries,
which are not relevant for stationary application. In other hand, the market
for stationary storage systems are perceived generally more priority:
interview participants all indicated to have very little doubt that this market
will take off in the next decade. Finally, characteristics like costs, longevity and
environmental impact may be of more importance for stationary systems than
energy density is.

3. Environmental issues related with energy storage technologies

From the environmental point of view, the development of technologies to
improve the storage of energy is important in order to increase the
participation of renewable sources such as solar and wind energy, which
present the inconvenience of an irregular energy supply as they depend on
the presence of sunlight or wind, as Oliveira mention. Renewable energy
sources represent a friendly choice with the environment, in order to migrate
from technologies that generate environmental impact, such as the
production of greenhouse gases.
Oliveira study, focus on the environmental impact of the storage
technologies, he observed different opportunities to reduce climate change
impacts by using high efficiency storage units, Li-ion, NaNiCl and NAS. In the
case of human toxicity, high volume, moderate efficiency systems, such as
pumped hydro storage, sodium sulfur batteries, (L. Oliveira, 2015). Finally,
Oliveiras research concludes:
It is safe to say that the environmental performance of rechargeable
energy storage systems is overall dependent on its efciency and directly
tied to the energy mixes associated to its use. When using renewable
energy production mixes such as wind, the relevance of the technical
aspects such as capacity, lifetime, efciency and dispatch ability prove
more
important
than
the
environmental
performance
itself.
Environmentally wise, rechargeable energy storage systems can avoid
the use of thermal assets. The origin of the stored energy highlights the

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Energy Storage Technologies in

Europe

importance of a correct dimensioning of storage systems where the

capacity match to application is a pillar for effective use and consequent
environmental performance. (L. Oliveira, 2015)
4. Materials used for storage energy
According to C. Berger, now days it is possible to obtain efficiency around
80%, when energy is stored by pumped hydroelectric storage (PHS) plants,
which presents almost 99% of all worldwide electricity storage capacity.
Location and geographic factors are disadvantages of PHS system.
Furthermore, other storage systems are develop with lead-acid and lithiumion, these batteries, the last one is known as flow batteries.
For storage large amount of energy, is used water, which is spited in oxygen
and hydrogen. The concept of rechargeable oxide battery (ROB), has been
proposed by several authors (Cornelius M. Berger, 2015). All efforts are in
increasing the current density of them.
The ROB consists of a reversible solid oxide cell (SOC) and a porous
oxygen-ion storagematerial. Both components are coupled by a
gaseous H2H2O medium acting as a carrier of oxygen ions. The
working principle of the new rechargeable battery is depicted in Fig.
1. (Cornelius M. Berger, 2015)

Berger studied diversely composed samples, for ROB systems, were

degradation tests were applied to simulating ROB charging and discharging.

Conclusion

References

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Energy Storage Technologies in

Europe

Cornelius M. Berger, O. T. (2015). Development of storage materials for hightemperature rechargeable oxide batteries. Journal of Energy Storage, 54-64.
L. Oliveira, M. M. (2015). Enviromental performance of electricity storage systems
for grid applications, a life cycle approach. Energy Conversion and
Management, 326-335.
S. Pazouki, M. H. (2014). Uncertainty modeling in optimal operation of energy hub.
Electrical Power and Energy Systems, 335-345.
T. Versteeg, M. B. (2016). Exploring emerging battery technologies for gridconnected energy storage with Constructive Technology Assesment.
Technological Forecasting & Social Change, 12.

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