In a groundbreaking development for the energy sector, researchers have introduced an innovative approach to managing battery energy storage systems (BESSs) that could significantly extend battery life while maintaining grid stability. The study, led by Tingyun Gu of the Electric Power Research Institute of Guizhou Power Grid Co., Ltd., in Guiyang, China, was recently published in the journal “Frontiers in Energy.”
The research addresses a critical challenge in the energy sector: the trade-off between providing frequency support to the grid and preserving battery health. Traditional methods focus primarily on frequency support, often accelerating battery aging due to increased charge-discharge cycles. Gu and his team have proposed an adaptive primary frequency control (PFC) strategy that prioritizes both frequency support and battery health.
“Our method adopts an overshoot-tolerant principle to recover the state of energy (SOE) of the battery,” explained Gu. “When the frequency support demand aligns with the SOE recovery demand, the BESS responds to the frequency deviation in a reverse way. This allows the battery to be charged or discharged more vigorously, maintaining the SOE at an ideal level.”
The team developed a multi-objective online optimization model to update the optimal PFC coefficient, solved using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II). Simulation results demonstrated that the proposed method effectively recovers the SOE of the battery while improving frequency support performance. Case study results further validated that battery aging can be mitigated by recovering the SOE.
The implications of this research are substantial for the energy sector. As renewable energy sources become more prevalent, the need for efficient and reliable energy storage solutions grows. By extending the life of batteries used in BESSs, this innovative approach could reduce the costs associated with frequent battery replacements and enhance the overall efficiency of energy storage systems.
“This research is a significant step forward in balancing the demands of grid stability and battery longevity,” said a senior energy analyst who reviewed the study. “It offers a practical solution that could be implemented in various energy storage applications, from large-scale grid storage to smaller, localized systems.”
The study’s findings were published in “Frontiers in Energy,” a renowned journal in the field of energy research. As the energy sector continues to evolve, this research could shape future developments in battery management and grid stability, paving the way for more sustainable and efficient energy solutions.