· The new breed of microgrids requires much larger energy storage systems than the traditional batteries used for off-grid applications. One need here is for considerably higher energy densities to handle microgrids that include large PV generators. It is as yet unclear, what kind energy storage systems will be best for this kind of application
· As metering technology advances, the introduction of energy storage by building owners will give those owners the ability to the best advantage of feed-in-tariffs. This is virgin territory waiting for a specialized type of energy storage systems to emerge
· Utility-scale solar plants – both PV and solar thermal – are suddenly being taken much more seriously, because of the recent problems of the nuclear industry. Large solar plants inevitably require large energy storage systems, with energy density requirements that most of today’s commercialized storage systems cannot yet offer.
· Utilities will have to cope with a highly distributed network of solar energy sources, generating energy in an intermittent fashion. This is not a situation with which current grids are designed to cope and the Smart Grids of the future will need to incorporate energy storage buffers, if they are to optimize the use of solar in their network. Deployment of batteries in the grid to meet these requirements have not yet begun
NanoMarkets believes that as the result of such trends, there is a large and growing opportunity for energy storage firms of many kinds to sell into the solar power market. This will mean that the energy storage firms will have to better understand where the money will be made in this space over the next few years and what kind of batteries will be used; the dominance of lead-acid batteries in the solar power space is clearly about to change.
In this report, we analyze in detail the requirements for solar-power-related storage and where in the solar power industry purchases of energy storage systems are likely to be made. We also examine the many different energy storage technologies that might serve the needs of solar storage.
In addition, we take a look at solar-related energy storage in the context of a total market picture, looking at how solar energy storage will be impacted by the arrival of improved renewable energy management systems, improved weather forecasting, and Smart Grids. This report is a unique guide to where energy storage firms can make money in the solar power industry.
Executive Summary
E.1 Traditional markets for solar energy storage: lead-acid batteries and thermal storage
E.2 Opportunities for energy storage in solar microgrids
E.3 Utility-scale solar power storage markets
E.4 Solar, storage and building owners
E.5 Opportunities for solar power storage by world region
E.6 Opportunities for solar power storage by storage technology
E.7 Firms to watch in solar-related storage
E.8 Summary of eight-year forecasts of solar-related energy storage
Chapter One Introduction
1.1 Background to this report
1.2 Goal and scope of this report
1.3 Methodology of this report
1.4 Plan of this report
Chapter Two Driver and Technologies for Solar-Related Energy Storage
2.1 Drivers for storage in solar power environments
2.1.1 Periodic regular and irregular variations in solar power
2.1.2 Growth of solar powered heating market
2.1.3 Use of storage in solar microgrids
2.1.4 Storage for the growing residential, commercial and industrial market
2.1.5 Storage for utility-scale solar: PV and CSP
2.1.6 Grid stability and reliability
2.2 Available storage technologies
2.2.1 Lead acid batteries
2.2.2 Metal hydride batteries
2.2.3 Sodium sulfur batteries
2.2.4 Flow battery systems
2.2.5 Lithium batteries
2.2.6 Liquid metal batteries
2.2.7 Ultrabatteries
2.2.8 Supercapacitors
2.2.9 Thermal storage
2.2.10 Mechanical storage technologies
2.3 Related and competitive technologies and solutions
2.3.1 Smart Grids
2.3.2 Backup generation
2.3.3 FACTS
2.3.4 Renewable Integrations Management Systems (RIMS)
2.4 Can energy storage save the solar industry as subsidies decline?
2.4.1 How energy storage can change the economics of storage
2.4.2 Energy storage and renewable energy mandates
Chapter Three Markets and Roadmaps for Solar-Related Energy Storage
3.1 United States and solar energy storage
3.1.1 Off-grid, microgrid and on-grid user evolution
3.1.2 Utility-scale deployment
3.1.3 Requirements for energy storage for U.S. solar market
3.2 Europe and solar energy storage
3.2.1 Off-grid, microgrid and on-grid user evolution
3.2.2 Utility-scale deployment
3.2.3 Requirements for energy storage for European solar market
3.3 Asia and solar energy storage
3.3.1 Off-grid, microgrid and on-grid user evolution
3.3.2 Utility-scale deployment
3.3.3 Requirements for energy storage for European solar market
3.3 Other markets for solar energy storage
Chapter Four Eight-Year Forecasts of Solar-Related Energy Storage Markets
4.1 Forecasting Methodology
4.2 Roadmap for solar-related energy storage by world region
4.2.1 Forecasts of solar-related energy storage by world region
4.3 Roadmap for solar-related energy storage by storage technology
4.3.1 Forecasts of solar-related energy storage by world region
