Reviews on grid-connected inverter, utility-scaled battery energy storage system, and vehicle-to-grid application - challenges and opportunities

The purpose of this paper is to review three emerging technologies for grid-connected distributed energy resource in the power system: grid-connected inverters (GCIs), utility-scaled battery energy storage systems (BESSs), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) application. The overview of GCIs focuses on topologies and functions. Different functions of utility-scaled BESS are introduced and a comprehensive review is provided for currently operating BESSs that are interconnected at the distribution level. Possible grid support functions of utility-scaled BESS are presented. This paper also presents the current electro-chemical based ESSs in the U.S. with different grid support functions. The V2G technology is introduced focusing on benefits for grid support. The state-of-the-art of GCI, BESS, and V2G technologies presents many opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed in the future.