Energy storage allocation in power networks – A state-of-the-art review

The current global need for clean, renewable energy sources has led to a high penetration of distributed generation on distribution networks. This produces side effects on the power systems due to the variable characteristics of the primary energy sources (i.e. wind and solar). Energy storage systems (ESS) play a key role in providing additional system security, reliability and flexibility in response to changes in generation, which are still difficult to forecast. However, ESS in power networks present open questions around the benefits that these technologies can bring to the different actors involved in the energy supply chain. The main contributions of this paper are: (1) it gives a thorough review of the current research on ESS allocation (including ESS siting and sizing) methods in power networks; (2) it highlights the factors, challenges and problems for the sustainable development of ESS technologies; (3) the importance of designing the energy storage system for particular networks, taking into account the interaction of storage with other system flexibility options. Hence, this review points out current ESS design methodologies in power networks and provides framework guidelines for future ESS research.