Smart energy storages for integration of renewables in 100% independent energy systems

EU energy strategy, and a compatible Croatian strategy, is focused on policies and measures that will bring increase of share of renewable and distributed energy sources, increase in energy efficiency, and energy savings and decrease in green house gas emissions. To increase efficiency and viability, there is need for energy storage, in the primary or secondary form, to transfer energy surplus form period of excess to the period when there is a shortage. Although there are several storage technologies, as chemical, potential or heat energy, not all of these technologies are optimal for each energy system. The results of energy planning and several cases where use of smart energy storage system could help with integration of the energy flows, the transformations and energy demand at the location of the energy end use or close to it are presented. A new approach in planning of Croatian energy system with significant emphasis on integration of renewable energy source using different energy storage technologies and system regulation strategies is described. Ten percent of total electricity demand could be covered by wind energy without any significant change in current system. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 19th International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering and 7th European Congress of Chemical Engineering (Prague, Czech Republic 8/28/2010-9/1/2010).