Renewables continue to advance in competitiveness in world markets thanks to the fact that their costs are increasingly lower and their performance is greater. The challenge of renewable energies now is to improve and design storage systems that make them capable of being able to integrate them into the electrical network in an efficient and easy way.
As is known from having spoken on other occasions, the storage of renewable energies is expensive and very difficult. These energies can produce a yield almost the same as fossil fuelsHowever, they cannot be stored or transported to places far from their production. What does the world intend to do in the face of this challenge?
The success of renewables
Renewable energies are not limited only to the generation of electrical energy, but also allow the generation of heat or fuels. These applications make this type of clean energy gain competitiveness and lead the world energy market. We have to take into account that renewable energies have the environmental advantages of not polluting, it helps to fight against climate change, it does not emit gases, etc.
It is no longer strange to hear that the price of electricity rises because "The wind has not blown" or because "the sun has not risen". Therefore, this success of renewables has been undeniable, despite the fact that a few years have passed. Today, for many companies, opting for renewable energy is almost cheaper than opting for fossil fuels, and in the long run, it is more profitable and respects the environment.
The numbers speak for themselves. Wind and solar photovoltaic energy continue to increase their installed power. In 2015, accounted for about 77% of new installations globally, while hydroelectric was predominant in the remaining 23%. This development has been possible thanks to the lower costs of these technologies, capable of generating electricity at a cost (€ / kWh) lower than almost all conventional systems.
A challenge in the future
The great challenge for renewables in the future is, without a doubt, manageability and storage. Electricity generated through renewable sources it cannot be stored at a reasonable cost, rather it has many barriers. As it is not easy or economical to store it directly as electricity, it is necessary to convert it into mechanical energy (pumping water, flywheels ...), chemical (batteries, fuels ...) or electromagnetic (supercapacitors) and then transform it again.
Therefore, the challenge for scientists and engineers around the world is to find a way to store energy.