Battery Energy Storage for Ancillary Services in Distribution Networks: Technologies, Applications, and Deployment Challenges—A Comprehensive Review

Franck Cinyama Mushid () and Mohamed Fayaz Khan
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Franck Cinyama Mushid: School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
Mohamed Fayaz Khan: School of Engineering, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-22

Abstract: The integration of distributed energy resources into distribution networks creates operational challenges, including voltage instability and power quality issues. While battery energy storage systems (BESSs) can address these challenges, research has focused primarily on transmission-level applications or single services. This paper bridges this gap through a comprehensive review of BESS technologies and control strategies for multi-service ancillary support in distribution networks. Real-world case studies demonstrate BESS effectiveness: Hydro-Québec’s 1.2 MW system maintained voltage within 5% and responded to frequency events in under 10 ms; Germany’s hybrid 5 MW M5BAT project optimized multiple battery chemistries for different services; and South Africa’s Eskom deployment improved renewable hosting capacity by 15–70% using modular BESS units. The analysis reveals grid-forming inverters and hierarchical control architectures as critical enablers, with model predictive control optimizing performance and droop control ensuring robustness. However, challenges like battery degradation, regulatory barriers, and high costs persist. This paper identifies future research directions in degradation-aware dispatch, cyber-resilient control, and market-based valuation of BESS flexibility services. By combining theoretical analysis with empirical results from international deployments, this study provides utilities and policymakers with actionable insights for implementing BESS in modern distribution grids.

Keywords: battery energy storage systems (BESS); ancillary services; medium-voltage (MV) networks; low-voltage (LV) networks; distributed energy resources (DER); grid-forming inverters; power quality; distribution network stability (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: 2025
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