Application of battery energy storage in power systems

The key control elements of power systems are relatively slow mechanical devices, turbogenerator governors, transformer tap changers and circuit breaker contacts. Power system engineers have done a remarkable job developing a highly automated power system control with these constraints. However the evolution of more extensive interconnected power systems has turned the transmission grid into a critical superstructure which is increasingly being disrupted by severe disturbances, causing extensive blackouts. The introduction of power electronics, microprocessors, energy storage and communications technology to supplement the mechanical devices and permit faster responses could provide better emergency control and so extend the capabilities of the existing transmission grid as well as providing savings. The authors describe the application of battery energy storage plants to overcome some of the problems in power system control. They describe lead acid batteries, inverters, load patterns and load control, the versatility of battery storage, and the cost benefits