Synopsis of the Application of Energy Storage Systems in Microgrids for Clean Energy Production

The concept of an energy storage system is principally based on the operation of devices that store any form of energy at one time and discharge the energy for useful operation at a later time. There are varieties of ways by which the energy could be stored such as potential, kinetic, chemical and electrical or thermal energy. Still, certainly, the stored energy is discharged as electrical energy using different kinds of devices for electric power generation. Undisputedly, renewable energy resources from wind and solar photovoltaic sources are subject to stochastic variation. In most cases, intermittent behaviours of these renewable energy sources make the output power generated from their energy systems fed directly into the electric grid system or consumed at their instance of production using decentralized power generation technology. Instant consumption of such renewable energy systems with stochastic tendency could result in a waste of energy especially in a situation where excess power is generated amidst off-peak period. Small-scale hydroelectric power use in rural communities could also be affected by the seasonality of water flow into the small dam. In this case, there is a need to compensate for a possible energy shortage scenario which may be encountered on the condition of shortage of water availability. The best way to optimize renewable energy sources application for electricity generation in isolated off-grid communities is by hybrid system application. Consequently, the paper presents the state-of-the-art of different kinds of energy storage mechanisms suitable for exploiting hybrid energy systems with at least a renewable-based source.