Stationary Energy Storage

Energy transition: For some years now, more and more electricity is being generated by transforming renewable energies in Germany. But how can the green electricity be provided even when the sun isn't shining and the wind isn't blowing?

Stationary Energy Storage

Stationary storage systems can be used as compact home storage systems in households or as larger district storage systems in a delimited residential area. Occasionally, larger battery storage power plants are already being built, which due to their capacity and performance make a small but growing contribution to grid stability. These (electrochemical) intermediate stores for renewable energy sources are becoming more and more important because the availability of green electricity (e.g. from wind and sun) fluctuates enormously: The further the energy transition advances, the sooner large batteries are needed to cope with these phases of electricity shortage and excess bridge.

Live view of the grid stability in Germany

In the graphic shown here you can see a map of the world that shows the current supply situation with regard to electricity. With a click on a country you can see the origin of the electricity according to primary energy sources. On the right side you can differentiate between "production" and "consumption". The real-time graphics are provided by the Danish-French company "Tomorrow" and can be used freely as an open source tool.

Research topics for stationary energy storage

Often people think of e-vehicles, laptops or smartphones when they think of "batteries". But batteries in the form of stationary storage systems will also play a decisive role in the future for the energy transition.

What role do stationary storage systems play in battery research?

External source: „scobel – Energiewende komplex“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
Date: 02.09.2021
Link: https://www.3sat.de/wissen/scobel/scobel–energiewende-komplex-100.html

External source: „Voll geladen – Neue Speicher für die Energiewende“
Date: 04.05.2021
Link: https://www.zdf.de/wissen/leschs-kosmos/voll-geladen-neue-speicher-fuer-die-energiewende-100.html

Video: „Wozu gibt es Heimspeicher?“
Date: 12.02.2021
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O67cWpmdDOM

External source: „scobel – Projekt Strom“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
Date: 20.08.2020
Link: https://www.3sat.de/wissen/scobel/scobel—projekt-strom-102.html

Presentation: „Nachhaltige Batterien für die Speicherung Erneuerbarer Energie – wohin geht die Reise?“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
Date: 09.12.2019
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz4KtmBKE9Y

External source: „SWR-Fernsehbeitrag über HIU-Apfelbatterie (02.03.2016)“
Scientist: Daniel Buchholz
Date: 02.03.2016
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nEysGtDfcM

What properties must battery materials have for stationary storage?

Presentation: „Sodium Ion Batteries (engl.)“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Stefano Passerini
Date: 11.07.2021
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2FyGhqiAv0

Video: „Was kommt nach der Lithium-Ionen-Batterie?“
Date: 12.02.2021
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFUznXX56zc

Video: „Wozu gibt es Heimspeicher?“
Date: 12.02.2021
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O67cWpmdDOM

External source: „scobel – Projekt Strom“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner
Date: 20.08.2020
Link: https://www.3sat.de/wissen/scobel/scobel—projekt-strom-102.html

External source: „SWR-Fernsehbeitrag über HIU-Apfelbatterie (02.03.2016)“
Scientist: Daniel Buchholz
Date: 02.03.2016
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nEysGtDfcM

What is a saltwater battery?

Podcast: „Natrium-Ionen-Batterie“
Scientist: Dr. Dominic Bresser
Date: 16.11.2021
Link: https://geladen.podigee.io/3-natrium-ionen-batterie

Podcast: „Natrium-Ionen-Batterie von Natron Energy“
Scientist: Dr. Dominic Bresser
Date: 27.07.2021
Link: https://geladen.podigee.io/14-natronenergy

Presentation: „Sodium Ion Batteries (engl.)“
Scientist: Prof. Dr. Stefano Passerini
Date: 11.07.2021
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2FyGhqiAv0

Application fields of stationary energy storage

Stationary electrochemical energy storage functions as intermediate storage for renewable energy sources, such as wind and sun, as these are not available at all times. There are essentially three fields of application for stationary storage:

(1) They are ideally suited for grid stabilization, as they can immediately compensate for frequency fluctuations in the power grid.

(2) Households and companies supply themselves with electricity. They are self-sufficient from the central power grid. For example, a battery storage system can temporarily store self-generated solar power during the day for later consumption in the evening. In an industrial context, it is also attractive to use your own electricity from battery storage systems to achieve lower network charges.

(3) They also provide infrastructure services, such as the so-called black start capability (i.e. the restoration of the power supply in the event of a major power failure).

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