Assessment of battery energy storage systems for small-scale renewable energy integration

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) will most likely play an important role in enabling integration of small-scale renewable energy sources, from residential and smaller commercial enterprises, into the electricity networks. With benefits ranging from greater use of cleaner energy sources to potential cost savings, battery energy storage systems can ensure security and continuity of supply. This paper assesses battery storage technologies based on their technical capability and economic viability for effective renewable energy integration. An overview of current technologies and their performance characteristics is reviewed before modeling. Simulink models containing generic battery blocks and other standard blocks, form a basis of assessment for the technical capabilities. HOMER models for stand-alone photovoltaic systems with battery storage are evaluated for economic assessment.