Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The PCS usually costs from 33 to 50% of the entire storage facility. Development
of PCSs has been slow due to the limited growth in distributed energy resources
e.g. small-scale power generation technologies ranging from 3 to 10,000 kW [4].
3.3 Balance of plant
BOP comprises all additional works and ancillary components required to
•
house the equipment
•
control the environment of the storage facility
•
provide the electrical connection between the PCS and the power grid
It is the most variable cost component within an energy storage device due to
the various requirements for each facility. The BOP “typically includes electrical
interconnections, surge protection devices, a support rack for the storage medium,
the facility shelter and environmental control systems” [3]. The BOP may also
include foundations, roadways, access, security equipment, electrical switchgear
and metering equipment. Development activities including all paperwork, design,
planning, safety, training and their costs are often included here.
4 Energy storage technologies
Energy storage devices by their nature are typically suitable for a very particu-
lar set of applications. This is primarily due to the potential power and storage
capacities that can be obtained from the various devices. Therefore, in order to
provide a fair comparison between the various energy storage technologies, they
have been grouped together based on the size of power and storage capacity that
can be obtained. Four categories have been created: devices large power (>50 MW)
and storage (>100 MWh) capacities; devices with medium power (1-50 MW) and
storage capacities (5-100 MWh); devices with medium power or storage capacities
but not both; and fi nally, a section on energy storage systems.
The following energy storage technologies will be discussed under the respec-
tive groups: PHES, UPHES and CAES will be discussed together as they all
have the potential for large power and storage capacities; BES and FBES will be
discussed together as they have the potential for medium power and storage
capacities, while SCES, FES and SMES will be grouped together as they all
have either medium-scale power or storage capacities, and fi nally HESS, TESS
and EVs will be discussed together as these are generally smaller energy storage
systems. Before commencing it is worth noting which category each technology
falls into. Only the technologies common by category will be compared against
each other after they have been analysed. HESS, TESS and EVs have unique
characteristics as these are energy systems, requiring a number of different tech-
nologies, which can be controlled differently. As energy systems transform from
a fossil fuel production based on centralised production, to a renewable energy
system, based on intermittent decentralised production, it is imperative that
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