Design of a renewable energy system with battery and power-to-methanol unit

An energy storage system consisting of a battery and a power-to-methanol (PtM) unit was investigated to develop an energy storage system for renewable energy systems. A nonlinear programming model was established to optimize the energy storage system. The optimal installation capacities of the battery and power-to-methanol units were determined to minimize the cost of the energy system. The cost from a renewable energy system was assessed for four configurations, with or without energy storage units, of the battery and the power-to-methanol unit. The proposed model was applied to the modified electricity supply and demand based on published data. The results show that value-adding units, such as PtM, need be included to build a stable renewable energy system. This work will significantly contribute to the advancement of electricity supply and demand management and to the establishment of a nationwide policy for renewable energy storage.