Electrochemical storage systems for renewable energy integration: A comprehensive review of battery technologies and grid-scale applications

Abstract

The global transition toward sustainable energy systems has become one of the most critical challenges facing modern power infrastructure, particularly as nations worldwide seek to reduce their carbon footprint. The integration of renewable energy sources into existing power grids presents significant technical challenges due to their inherent variability and intermittency, requiring robust and reliable storage solutions to maintain grid stability and reliability. Electrochemical storage systems, encompassing technologies from lithium-ion batteries and flow batteries to emerging sodium-based systems, have demonstrated promising capabilities in addressing these integration challenges through their versatility and rapid response characteristics. This comprehensive review systematically analyzes recent developments in grid-scale battery storage technologies, examining fundamental materials advancement, integration strategies, performance optimization, and economic considerations, while distinctively focusing on the synergistic relationships between different storage technologies in hybrid configurations and their practical implementation in diverse geographic and market contexts. Unlike previous reviews that typically focus on individual technologies or specific applications, this work provides a comprehensive analysis of the entire ecosystem of grid-scale battery storage, from materials science to market implementation, offering unique insights into the interaction of technical advancement, economic viability, and environmental sustainability during the integration of renewable energy.