IEEE Access Special Section Editorial: Advanced Energy Storage Technologies and Their Applications

The depletion of fossil fuels, the increase of energy demands, and the concerns over climate change are the major driving forces for the development of renewable energy such as solar and wind. However, the intermittency of renewable energy has hindered the deployment of large-scale intermittent renewable energy, which therefore has necessitated the development of advanced large-scale energy storage technologies [item 1) in the Appendix]. The use of large-scale energy storage can effectively improve the efficiency of energy resource utilization and increase the use of variable renewable resources, energy access, and end-use sector electrification [items 2) and 3) in the Appendix]. Over the years, considerable research has been conducted on many types of energy, such as thermal energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy, and chemical energy, using different types of systems such as phase change materials, batteries, supercapacitors, fuel cells, and compressed air, which are applicable to various types of applications, such as heat and power generation and electrical/hybrid transportation [items 4) and 5) in the Appendix].