Significant transmission and distribution losses occur on India's electricity infrastructure, especially during times of peak demand. These losses are a result of outdated technology, inadequate infrastructure, and technical failures
India has become one of the fastest-growing economies, combined with twin growth drivers: urbanisation and industrialisation. This underpins the rapid growth in energy demand, which is poised to witness the largest jump globally, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency. However, this ever-evolving energy landscape also raises paramount concerns regarding the stability and reliability of the grid and poses substantial challenges.
Significant transmission and distribution losses occur on India's electricity infrastructure, especially during times of peak demand. These losses are a result of outdated technology, inadequate infrastructure, and technical failures. These losses can be decreased and grid stability can be improved by implementing smart grid technology, enhancing transmission and distribution infrastructure, and implementing energy-efficient practices. Fortunately, advanced energy storage technologies are also emerging in the market as a key solution to address these challenges, allowing businesses to thrive while meeting energy demands.
Battery energy storage systems (BESS)
The battery energy storage system (BESS) is a cutting-edge technological innovation that enables energy to be stored in various ways for future consumption. Battery systems are essential for utilities, organisations, and homes to provide a continuous power flow given the probability that an energy source may face disruptions owing to a variety of factors. BESS uses lithium-ion batteries to react to grid variations quickly. Additionally, it offers load balancing, grid frequency management, and the capacity to store excess energy during times of low demand and release it during times of peak demand. In addition, while installed alongside photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, BESS can store extra energy produced while energy output is high and release it for use when energy production is low.
Thermal Energy Storage (TES)
Thermal energy storage (TES) is a type of energy storage in which a substance absorbs energy when its temperature rises and loses it when it falls. Using diverse materials with various thermal characteristics allows for a diverse outcomes that can result in a variety of thermal energy storage applications (such as heating and cooling). When used in thermal systems, TES can assist in balancing energy demand and supply on a daily, monthly, and even seasonal basis using heat storage tanks, large pits, or other storage facilities. TES can also lower energy costs, CO2 emissions, peak demand, and energy consumption, all of which help to stabilise the grid and improve the overall effectiveness of energy systems. The most efficient use case of TES is in solar thermal systems.
Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS)
The Flywheel Energy Storage System (FESS) stores energy by spinning a rotor at high speeds within a vacuum, essentially storing kinetic energy. Flywheels can instantly release or absorb energy, acting as a rapid-response buffer when the grid experiences abrupt changes in power supply or demand. With this ability, they can regulate grid frequency and stabilise voltage levels, which are essential for preserving a steady supply of power. Because of their high energy conversion efficiency and quick response times, flywheels are useful when there is a dire requirement for grid stability. Flywheel storage devices make the electrical grid more dependable and resilient by quickly injecting or absorbing energy, especially when intermittent renewable energy sources and unanticipated grid disturbances occur.
The need for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources is rising, along with concerns about the stability of the grid as the country's energy requirements rise. By serving as the link between intermittent renewable energy sources and a dependable power supply, advanced energy storage devices significantly improve the grid's stability and reliability. In this regard, a number of cutting-edge technologies, including flywheel and thermal energy storage systems as well as battery energy storage systems, effortlessly contribute to grid stability.
The continuous advancement and wide-spread use of these technologies will be essential as we look to the future for the creation of a strong and resilient energy system that can accommodate the expanding demands of our fast-paced country while reducing the effects of climate change.
(Simarpreet Singh, Director and CEO, Hartek Group.)