Massive energy storage systems enable secure electricity supply from renewables

Abstract

Climate change is mainly attributed to the burning of fossil fuels. To solve the problem, current inhabitants have to dispense with fossil fuels as a source of power. It has been demonstrated that this can be secured before 2050 by transitioning to renewable sources of energy. Massive energy storage (MES) incorporated into long distance high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission systems is the key technology for the transition. This paper describes the current state-of-the-art in electricity grid configurations. It demonstrates how MES, and other back-up local electricity storage schemes represent a natural way of buffering electricity consumers from the intermittency of inherent in the primary renewable systems. Consequently, it can solve the base-load issues and facilitate a global transition to 100% renewable energy sources over the next fifteen to twenty years.

Keywords

• Electricity grid
• Energy storage
• Pumped-hydro
• Lagoon storage
• Hydraulic piston
• Climate change