WCST-2013: Keynote speaker 3: Energy storage and demand side management challenges in managing renewable energy integration

Energy storage and demand side management represent methods of integrating non-dispatchable renewable energy such as wind onto existing electricity networks. Energy storage at a utility scale through pumped storage is widely used in the UK but there is a need to explore alternative technologies such as compressed air energy storage. In addition, different scales of distributed energy storage may make a valuable contribution, namely site integrated storage that enables a local non-dispatchable renewable energy generator to become dispatchable. Finally demand-side management will address for example a major energy user, namely household heating. However decreases in individual unit scale lead to greater information needs and flows to ensure adequate control within local electricity network constraints. An overall integration of these approaches through market modelling will determine likely economic benefits and this approach will be explored through the recently started Interreg IVA SPIRE (Storage Platform for the Integration of Renewable Energy) project and an outline of this project will be given.