Multi-configurational energy storage management in a residential nanogrid under constraints of renewable energy resources and demand uncertainties

Abstract

Renewable energy resource dynamics contribute to system complexities in addition to reliability issues in modern power grids. Energy storage systems such as batteries are used to address the reliability issues. Energy storage is also considered for improved economy in modern systems such as microgrids. Batteries are used for storage in modern systems due to low acquisition cost, large-scale commercial availability and high storage densities. However, the competitive advantages of batteries render other storage facilities underutilized. These include significant parking time that electric vehicles spend and long periods of energy storage retention in hydrogen fuel cells. This paper considers the technoeconomic advantages of various energy storage facilities in establishing energy storage management strategies using batteries, electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cells. The proposed energy storage management is configured in a combined and substituted mode of storage configurations for a residential nanogrid. The objective is to exploit potentials of other storage facilities for energy tradeoffs between the nanogrid and the main grid for low energy cost and improved energy utilization. Results indicate an hourly average energy availability range of 24–115 kWh in battery storage, 19–75 kWh in electric vehicle and 5–45 kWh in hydrogen storage configurations. The three substituted configurations had an energy cost range of 0.1604–0.2005 $/kWh. The combined storage configuration projected a 110–250 kW daily energy availability and energy cost of 0.3609 $/kWh. It is suggested that dynamic energy pricing can be suitable for such uncertain renewable energy and customer demands scenarios in future investigations.