The importance of such energy as oil and coal is related to developing a country, social stability, and people's lives. Therefore, all countries regard energy as a strategic reserve resource.
Since the 21st century, environmental problems have become a factor restricting economic development and even affecting the fate of human survival. With the Kyoto and Paris agreements, the world has reached an unprecedented consensus on the concept of carbon reduction.
In recent years, the progress of science and technology makes carbon reduction through new energy technology gradually fall into the ground, which also has the economic basis for large-scale promotion. At this moment, the concept of global carbon peak, carbon neutralization, and double carbon should be transported out, and the wave of energy replacement will also come.
China is the largest carbon emission country, and we can not ignore the task of carbon reduction. The power industry is China's most significant carbon emission industry, accounting for more than 40%. Therefore, new energy generation is the top priority to achieve the dual carbon goal.
Energy storage is an essential component of the future power grid
Due to the naturally fluctuating and intermittent nature of solar and wind energy, there is unpredictability in how much power can be converted. When the sun is young and vigorous, photovoltaic power generation is destined to change, starting from early, reaching a peak at noon and then falling back, and stopping at night with the sun setting. The same is true of wind power generation. The result is an imbalance between supply and demand, with insufficient power when demand is high and excess power when demand is low.
Another problem caused by volatility is that the frequency of power supplied to the grid is extremely unstable, and frequency fluctuation is an important indicator of power quality.
Slight frequency fluctuation may affect the regular use of electrical appliances, while significant frequency fluctuation will harm the regular operation of generators.
For example, frequency changes will cause changes in motor speed, light affect product quality, heavy damage to machinery, causing accidents. There will be defective products due to frequent changes in all walks of life, but the living electricity consumption of residents will be significantly affected.
Therefore, frequency instability brings great harm, so ensuring the stable frequency of new energy generation has become an urgent problem to be solved.
The current solution is a desperate one. With the increase of new energy permeability, the frequency fluctuation caused by power disturbance increases. From April to May of 2021, the North China Power Grid has four consecutive low-frequency oscillations on the power side.
At present, the primary frequency modulation of conventional thermal power has risen sharply from 20-30 times a day to 700-800 times a day. Traditionally, the primary frequency modulation capability of thermal power units itself has been insufficient to meet the frequency modulation demand of the power grid.
Suppose people cannot solve the problem of peak regulation and frequency of electricity. In that case, it is bound to affect the replacement of new energy and then affect the realization of the dual carbon target.
The immediate question is whether there is a cleaner and more efficient alternative to coal-fired power.
The answer is yes; rather than draining the pond to catch fish, better to retreat to the net. From the perspective of long-term development, the idea of reserving power in advance came into being, and energy storage moved to the center of the historical stage.
On the one hand, the mismatch between power generation and power load can be solved by peak cutting and valley filling. On the other hand, it can provide auxiliary power services to solve the grid instability caused by the volatility and randomness of scenic power generation.
In addition, the storage and release of energy through the energy storage system provides additional capacity support, absorbs excess power, reduces "wind and light abandoning," and instantly connects to the grid. At this point, everything is ready, just the east wind. The development of industry has always been inseparable from the support of the policy. The pace and intensity of policy changes often indicate the industry's maturity.
The core of energy storage
The electrochemical energy storage system is mainly composed of a battery pack, battery management system (BMS), energy management system (EMS), energy storage inverter (PCS), and other electrical equipment.
Battery pack costs account for about 60% of the highest, followed by energy storage inverter about 15%, battery management system and energy management system together account for about 15%. This set of data fully illustrates two problems. First, battery pack cost is the main cost of electrochemical (battery) energy storage system, and it is the main link of future industrial chain technology iteration and cost reduction.
Second, the core of the industrial chain lies in battery packs and inverters.
The electrochemical energy storage system is mainly composed of a battery pack, battery management system (BMS), energy management system (EMS), energy storage inverter (PCS), and other electrical equipment.
Battery pack costs account for about 60% of the highest, followed by energy storage inverter about 15%, battery management system and energy management system together account for about 15%. This set of data fully illustrates two problems. First, battery pack cost is the main cost of electrochemical (battery) energy storage system, and it is the main link of future industrial chain technology iteration and cost reduction.
Second, the core of the industrial chain lies in battery packs and inverters.
First, let's look at battery packs. At present, lithium iron phosphate batteries have become the first choice for energy storage scenarios with their advantages of high safety, high cycle life, and low cost. In 2019, lithium iron phosphate batteries accounted for more than 85% of the newly added lithium iron phosphate batteries.
The competition pattern in this field can refer to the power battery field, which can be fully extended. The representative enterprises of the battery pack include CATL, BYD, EVE Energy, Pylontech Technology, etc.
Interestingly, battery energy storage technology has a long slope and thick snow, with multiple technological path development iterations. For example, the cost and resource advantage of sodium-ion batteries can effectively fill the problem of lithium-ion scarcity, higher performance solid-state batteries, lithium-air batteries, and so on.
As one of the most valuable energy storage accessories, the core competitiveness is reflected in the product iteration. In the case of PV inverters, different models correspond to various inverters.
Based on the faster iteration of energy storage technology, the constant introduction of new products makes the enterprise's blood-making ability extremely strong, and the gross margin is effectively guaranteed. Just like photovoltaic inverters, different models correspond to various inverters.
New energy power generation replaces traditional energy, but its fluctuation and intermittence make the new power supply-demand peak-frequency modulation. On the path of energy replacement, the leg of new energy generation has to rely on energy storage to be connected to it. Energy storage is an indispensable part of the future power system. Energy storage technology, mainly based on battery technology, is an integral part. Under the premise of performance advantages, it has gradually become economical and has the basis of large-scale promotion.
Another wave of new energy by battery energy storage is coming soon.
