Evaluation of grid-level adaptability for stationary battery energy storage system applications in Europe

•Assessment of grid-level suitability for stationary battery storage systems.•Analysis of grid data from a service area covering medium-voltage grid with 15,000 costumers.•Impact of battery storage distribution in low-voltage grids regarding transformer load from medium voltage to high voltage grids.•Combination of applications modes for battery storage systems in low voltage grids to expose return.

This work discusses the grid-level suitability for stationary battery energy storage systems based on lithium ion technology in general, focusing on the integration of such systems in the low-voltage grid-level in Europe. The vast majority of recent research regarding stationary battery storage systems focuses on single-electricity-grid voltage levels, whereas the interaction of different electricity grid-levels has been widely neglected. Challenges in distribution grids mostly originate from the quantity of challenges in low-voltage grids, stationary battery energy storage systems that are operated in low-voltage grids may reduce these challenges. Therefore, this work investigates stationary battery energy storage systems installed in low-voltage grids and their effects on superimposed grid-levels. Simulation results show that grid challenges, addressed by battery storage systems in low-voltage grids, have positive multiplicative impacts on upper grid levels, reducing local grid demand and lowering power peak stress. A proposal is presented for a low-voltage grid battery storage system that can be operated to fulfill the aforementioned functionality and yield the benefits via a multi-purpose or multi-tasking battery storage system.