Energy Storage Benefits Assessment Using Multiple-Choice Criteria: The Case of Drini River Cascade, Albania

Lorenc Malka, Alfred Daci, Alban Kuriqi, Pietro Bartocci and Ermonela Rrapaj
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Lorenc Malka: Department of Energy, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1010 Tirana, Albania
Alfred Daci: Department of Mathematical Engineering, Faculty of Mathematics Engineering and Physical Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1010 Tirana, Albania
Alban Kuriqi: CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Pietro Bartocci: Instituto de Carboquímica (ICB-CSIC), Miguel Luesma Castán 4, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Ermonela Rrapaj: Department of Hydraulic & Hydrotechnical, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1010 Tirana, Albania

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-22

Abstract: Albania’s electricity sector lacks energy storage systems (ESS); hence, large quantities of electricity generated during the off-peak time, and excess electricity cannot be stored. On the other hand, the transmission capacity upgrades do not keep pace with the growth in peak electric demand; thus, congestion-related issues occur. Congestion of transmission lines has led to considerable uncertainties. Drin River cascade is located north of Albania. It possesses enormous potential energy that is not used due to a lack of ESS. Security of supply, rational use of renewable energy sources (RES), diversification of the electricity sector, increased competitiveness, sheltering more future RES capacities that can benefit from deferring investment in the existing transmission system, and environmental protection are some of these the main benefits of integrating ESS. Regarding the energy transition, the Albanian government’s endeavor aims to maintain and further develop a flexible, sustainable, secure, efficiently supplied, and affordable energy supply system. The results of the simulation executed by using ES-select software to produce multiple benefits from a single device from the chosen application’s list (App1–App6) showed that the most adequate ESS for storing excess electricity in the Drin River cascade are: compressed air energy storage (CAES-c), pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), and sodium-sulfur batteries (NaS). Integrating such systems in the central or bulk generation makes the circumvented cost in 10 years profitable; therefore, moving towards 2030, it would be extremely difficult to tackle the energy sector’s challenges alone, without integrating the ESS.

Keywords: energy systems; energy policy; energy plaining; hydropower; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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