What if we were able to store excess electricity?

If we were able to store that excess electricity as easily-available potential energy to be used when electrical demand is high, the carbon footprint of our grid would decrease considerably. In an earlier article about grid modernization, I wrote that grids were never really set up to store energy.

Do we have post-generation energy storage issues?

We have post-generation storage issues as well. Usually, when people think about post-generation energy storage, they think of electrochemical batteries. However, batteries represent a small minority of electrical storage capacity at present. About 90% of current grid storage is in the form of pumped hydro facilities.

Can energy be stored on a grid scale?

This article discusses two ways to store energy on a grid scale (pre- and post-generation), investigates some of the issues regarding these two methods as well as the technologies used to implement them, and provides a back-of-the-envelope calculation of the scale of the problem for which we need to solve.

What happened at Gateway energy storage facility?

On May 15, 2024, Gateway Energy Storage Facility in San Diego, California, experienced a BESS fire with continued flare-ups for seven days following the fire. The facility held about 15,000 nickel manganese cobalt lithium-ion batteries.

What is a battery energy storage system?

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) stabilize the electrical grid, ensuring a steady flow of power to homes and businesses regardless of fluctuations from varied energy sources or other disruptions. However, fires at some BESS installations have caused concern in communities considering BESS as a method to support their grids.

Are grids really set up to store energy?

In an earlier article about grid modernization, I wrote that grids were never really set up to store energy. I’ve since realized that, in fact, grids have always been set up to store energy, just in pre-generation form. My revelation came while reading Meredith Angwin’s book, Shorting the Grid: The Hidden Fragility of Our Electric Grid.