IEA-ECES Annex35: Flexible sector coupling through the implementation of energy storage systems
Project leader overall project: AEE INTEC (AEE - INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES)
Project leader University of Innsbruck: Fabian Ochs (UIBK Energy Efficient Building)
Project staff: Abdulrahman Dahash, Alice Tosatto
- AEE INTEC (AEE - INSTITUTE FOR SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES) (Austria)
- AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH (Austria)
- PlanEnergi (Denmark)
- Unit of Energy Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden)
- Urban Energy Systems, EMPA (Switzerland)
Funding organisation: (FFG, energy research, flagship)
Duration: 01.01.2018 - 30.06.2021
Project website: https://iea-eces.org/annex-35/
Funding amount: € 119,980
Summary of the project
The increasing share of renewable energies and thus greater fluctuations in the electricity grid pose new challenges for electricity grid operators and energy suppliers. The strong fluctuations in wind and PV power generate large power peaks at certain times, which are significantly higher than the electricity demand. Due to the lack of options for storing electricity, power plants have to be switched off temporarily.
However, these power peaks can be used to store energy in other sectors such as the heating (cooling) and mobility sectors. Storing energy with thermal, chemical or electrical storage technologies in the heating (cooling) and mobility sectors can relieve the electricity grid and increase the proportion of usable renewable energy. Another advantage is that thermal storage systems often offer a more cost-effective storage option.
The aim of IEA ECES Annex 35 is to analyse and evaluate the potential of various storage technologies and configurations for use in the sector coupling of the electricity, heating and mobility sectors and to develop recommendations for policy, research and industry based on the results.
Expected results of Annex 35:
The main objective of the Annex is to investigate the possibilities and effects of implementing energy storage for sector coupling. To this end, both existing and future technologies as well as various possible storage system configurations will be considered. These will be collected and discussed with the experts on the basis of their experience and expertise and the potential of storage systems for sector coupling will be assessed both technically and economically.
- White paper reflecting the concept development of FSC;
- Description of the existing bottlenecks in the legal framework;
- Overview and technical characterisation of existing and future FSC storage configurations;
- Quantification of the potential of energy storage compared to applications without storage coupling;
- Recommendations for policy and R&D.
Focus on the University of Innsbruck
Based on its experience, the UIBK is involved as a consulting partner in the development of reliable numerical models at both levels (system and component). It also carries out various simulations to calibrate and optimise specific case studies.