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Supporting Online Material for

Electrical Energy Storage for the Grid: A Battery of Choices

Published 18 November 2011, Science 334, 928 (2011)

This PDF file includes:

Figs. S1 to S3
Table S1
References (52–62)
 

SUPPORTING ON-LINE MATERIALS

Figure S1. The effect of energy storage on the grid load profile. If there is sufficient storage on
the grid, it can be used to regulate the grid in place of intermediate and peak generation. In the
example shown here, a high level of baseload generation is matched with substantial penetration
of renewables. At off-peak times, when the generation from baseload and renewables is greater
than the load, the excess energy is stored. At peak times, when the total load climbs above the
total generation from baseload and renewables, the remaining load is supplied from the energy
storage.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Figure S2. Grid Load Profile. The aggregate electric power load on the grid changes over the
course of the day. The changing load is met by several types of generation. Baseload generation
is kept on all the time; these generators are typically those with the lowest marginal cost for
generation (such as newer coal units) or plants that face a steep penalty for turndown (such as
nuclear units). Renewable generation, such as wind and solar, is accepted whenever it is
available. Since renewable generation does not necessarily coincide with the load peaks,
intermediate load generation units must ramp up and down to follow the load shape. This role is
typically filled by units with somewhat higher marginal prices (e.g. older coal plants) and plants
with considerable operational flexibility (e.g. hydroelectric units). Peak load plants are turned on
only when the load is high; these units are those with the highest marginal cost of generation,
such as open cycle natural gas combustion turbines and diesel generators.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table S1. Energy and power characteristics for batteries being considered for grid storage
applications. The range of values reflects variations associated with battery design and
performance.
 

References
 
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Acknowledgments: Support (B.D.) is from the Center for Molecularly Engineered Energy
Materials, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE) Office of Basic Energy Sciences (DE-SC001342) and from the DOE Office of
Electricity, Energy Storage Systems Program. The authors greatly appreciate the
insightful comments provided by G. Farrington and A. Shukla. We also thank E. Lan and
L. Smith for their assistance with the manuscript.