Trends and Outlook of BESS in Electrical Grids of Latin America

Abstract

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are increasingly recognized as a solution to storage challenges whileproviding ancillary services. BESS facilitate the integration ofrenewable energy sources, which face issues related to variabilityand unpredictability of intermittent renewable energy sources(IRES). This paper reviews the current state of BESS technology,including planning, ancillary services, and energy management,and summarizes various projects in Latin America based ondata from diverse sources such as the U.S. Department ofEnergy’s Energy Storage Database and and publicly accessibleinformation from organizations like IRENA. Finally, the paperincludes technical details regarding the first BESS installationin a distribution grid in Costa Rica. This article offers acomprehensive overview of the current status of BESS in LatinAmerica, emphasizing their significance in the integration ofintermittent renewable energy sources (IRES) and identifyingfuture development and research opportunities.