Energy Storage Technologies for Power Grids and Electric Transportation

Energy storage technology has great potential to improve electric power grids, to enable growth in renewable electricity generation, and to provide alternatives to oil-derived fuels in the nation's transportation sector. In the electric power system, the promise of this technology lies in its potential to increase grid efficiency and reliability, optimizing power flows and supporting variable power supplies from wind and solar generation. In transportation, vehicles powered by batteries or other electric technologies have the potential to displace vehicles burning gasoline and diesel fuel, reducing associated emissions and demand for oil. This book summarizes the current state of knowledge regarding energy storage technologies for both electric power grid and electric vehicle applications. It also addresses the significant policy, market, and other non-technical factors that may impede storage adoption, and considers eight major categories of storage technology; pumped hydro, compressed air, batteries, capacitors, superconducting magnetic energy storage, flywheels, thermal storage, and hydrogen.