Evaluation of energy storage technologies for integration with renewable electricity: Quantifying expert opinions

Solving climate change and the associated need for increasing renewable energy supply make energy storage a critical technological component of the future energy landscape. Research to build more reliable and cost-effective energy storage technologies is now on the rise. As a result, many new technologies and applications are evolving and competing. This paper presents a method to evaluate and select energy storage technologies for investor-owned or public utilities. For this purpose, energy storage applications which could benefit wind power in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States are identified through internal interviews and surveys with experts at the federal wholesale power marketing agency in Portland, Oregon. The study employs a technology evaluation process integrating fuzzy Delphi method, analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy consistent matrix. The result shows that compressed air storage is the most promising technology for sustainable growth of renewable energy in the region.

► Storage technology is critical for ensuring sustainable growth of clean energy. ► We demonstrate how expert opinions can be quantified for better decision making. ► We apply an evaluation process integrating multiple methods like fuzzy Delphi and AHP. ► We incorporate decision makers’ ambiguous preference for evaluated storage technologies. ► Economic, environmental and social concerns about a sustainable future are considered. ► We identify compressed air storage technology as a promising solution.