The Role of Energy Storage in Deep Decarbonization of Electricity Production

Abstract:

Decarbonizing electricity production is a challenge of growing importance. One potential decarbonization pathway is through the proliferation of renewable energy sources. A challenge with relying on renewable energy is that its real-time generation is weather dependent and may not be co-incident with real-time electricity demand. One possible solution to this mismatch between renewable-availability and demand patterns is energy storage. Excess renewable energy during periods of relatively low demand can be stored for use in subsequent periods of relatively low renewable availability. Without energy storage, excess renewable energy may otherwise be curtailed.

 

This talk summarizes a study that investigates the potential of currently available energy storage technologies to reduce renewable curtailment and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California. We show that without energy storage, adding 20 GW of wind and 40 GW of solar to the California system will achieve 76% GHG reductions (relative to 2012 levels) with close to one third of renewable energy being curtailed. Energy storage, on the other hand, allows 93% GHG reductions from the same renewable penetrations with as little as 2% of renewable energy being curtailed with some energy storage technologies.

 

Biosketch:

 

Ramteen Sioshansi is a professor in and associate department chair of the Department of Integrated Systems Engineering and an associate fellow in the Center for Automotive Research at The Ohio State University. Prior to joining OSU, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. His research focuses on the integration of advanced energy technologies, including renewables, energy storage, and electric transportation, into energy systems. He also works in energy policy and electricity market design, especially as they pertain to advanced energy technologies. He is currently serving a third two-year term on the Electricity Advisory Committee of the U.S. Department of Energy and is chair of its Energy Storage Subcommittee.
Date: 
Thursday, December 6, 2018 - 2:30pm
Location: 
E-Lab 2 Kellogg Room (Room 118)
Year: 
2018
Semester: 
Fall
Speaker(s): 
Ramteen Sioshansi, Professor, Integrated Systems Engineering, Ohio State University