【New Energy Applications】Large-capacity energy storage technologies to accommodate the large volumes of wind and solar power in the future urgently need to be developed

The challenges faced by wind and solar power: As issues related to energy security, environmental protection, and climate change become increasingly prominent, renewable energy sources are gaining increasing attention. Since hydropower technology is already fairly mature and offers high levels of power generation, research on renewable energy on an international scale generally does not include hydropower. 　　Since 2000, the installed capacity of renewable energy sources used for power generation in China, primarily hydroelectric and photovoltaic power, has increased rapidly; currently, China’s cumulative grid-connected capacity for wind power and photovoltaic power ranks first and second in the world, respectively. 　　The scenery is absolutely beautiful. In a report issued by the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering, it is stated that there is huge potential for the development of wind and solar power in China in the future. It is estimated that the installed capacity for power generation will reach 300 million kilowatts by 2020, which will be three times the current total installed capacity. 　　The future is bright, but the path is winding. It is reported that China’s wind and solar power sectors are characterized by \"large-scale development, centralized construction, and long-distance transmission.\" For example, China is the only country in the world to build large-scale wind power complexes with a capacity of over 10 million kilowatts; such complexes are mainly located in the \"Three Norths\" regions (North China, Northeast China, and Northwest China). The pace of grid construction lags far behind that needed to support these facilities, and coupled with low local demand for electricity, there is a significant issue of wasted wind and solar energy. 　　“Discarding wind and solar energy is something no one wants to see. Technically speaking, power generation facilities are built, but the grid infrastructure isn’t developed, which limits the capacity for power output – that’s the first issue. The second issue is that more power is generated than is consumed; in some cases, power generation exceeds demand. ”Wang Weisheng told a reporter from Yicai Daily that when wind power and solar power emerge on a large scale at the same time, due to other constraints, the power grid has to reduce the use of wind power and solar power accordingly. 　　This raises a question: wind and solar power have the \"inherent drawbacks\" of intermittency and randomness. For example, the presence or absence of wind, as well as the strength of the wind, can affect the output of wind power. Similarly, solar power can operate smoothly during the day, but it stops functioning when it’s dark and cloudy; therefore, its proportion cannot be too high, and other power sources such as hydroelectric power must be used to complement it, otherwise it will affect the stability of the power grid.

When will large-capacity energy storage become widespread? In the face of the current issues of wasted wind and solar energy, **the power grid is already working on solutions. Plans are in place to integrate the existing grids into two major grids in the east and west by 2020, with these grids to be merged into a single synchronized grid by 2025, thereby enabling better utilization of the excess electricity generated in the northern and northeastern regions. 　　However, while seeking markets for wind and solar power, it is also necessary to effectively improve the operational characteristics of the power grid system; otherwise, solar power, with its large-scale and centralized deployment in certain areas of our country, will still be unable to be connected to the grid for power generation due to significant fluctuations in output. 　　The consensus among participants, including Zheng Baosen, President of the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering, is that large-capacity energy storage technologies can not only smooth out the power fluctuations associated with wind and solar power, thereby facilitating their large-scale utilization and integration into the grid, but also help regulate peak loads and frequency in the grid, enhancing its stability and reliability. 　　Dreams are rich, but reality is lean. Due to current technical limitations, lifespan and cost serve as two barriers that prevent large-capacity energy storage technologies from becoming widely available to ordinary people. 　　“Due to limitations such as cost and lifespan, large-capacity energy storage technologies are not yet acceptable from an economic perspective; pumped storage remains the only viable option at present. ”However, Wang Weisheng also told a reporter from Yicai Daily that, on the positive side, large-capacity energy storage technologies are also evolving, with efforts being made to scale them up and put them into commercial use. 　　What offers hope is that the efficiency and lifespan of energy storage technologies are continuously improving, and their high costs are also dropping at a rate of about half over a period of 5–10 years. 　　“As various energy storage technologies mature, the costs of chemical energy storage continue to decline, and relevant policies are further improved, the demand from power grids for new types of chemical energy storage will become even more urgent. ”In a report released, the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering stated that the 13th Five-Year Plan period will be a stage during which chemical energy storage technologies will gradually develop toward higher capacity, greater efficiency, and longer lifespan, with the potential to enter the commercialization phase.

Wind power and other green energy sources – it will take some time to figure out how to make the most of them.

Now, many coastal areas with wind power resources have the money to invest in such projects, but they fail to deliver the expected results, representing a waste of resources. One major drawback of wind and solar power is their unstable output; storage technology solves this issue, turning what was merely theoretical into something practical and useful

Everyone is advocating for energy conservation and environmental protection, and the wind and solar energy markets are still doing well

Currently, for the development of clean energy sources such as photovoltaic and wind power, integrating them into the power system represents a significant bottleneck that is difficult to overcome. If energy storage technologies with large capacity, high efficiency, and long lifespan can be developed, it will enable the development of the new energy industry.

Coastal areas are testing a technology that combines wind, solar, and tidal energy with energy storage stations

The prospects for wind and solar energy are very promising. However, there are indeed limitations in terms of cost, lifespan, and intermittent operation. Technicians need to keep exploring, overcoming difficulties, and achieving technological breakthroughs in order to create a better future. In such a future, we will no longer be constrained by oil imports, which will reduce the barriers to development! Looking forward to it