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Sustainability Analysis of Renewable Energy Storage Technologies

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1501

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: power systems; renewables; energy storage; optimization; life cycle assessment

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Interests: energy storage; energy storage modeling; power electronics; DC/DC converters
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on assessing the environmental impact, efficiency, and integration of energy storage solutions in renewable energy systems. The scope includes the evaluation of not only various storage technologies such as batteries (li-ion, flow batteries) and hydrogen-based systems but also traditional systems such as pumped-storage hydroelectricity, as well as the exploration of advanced modeling and sizing procedures for optimal storage deployment. The proper sizing and configuration of storage systems are essential for maximizing renewable energy use, minimizing grid reliance, and ensuring cost-effectiveness. Modeling tools help predict performance, durability, and environmental impacts under varying operational conditions, supporting data-driven decisions for system design.

This Issue encompasses evaluating different storage technologies through Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) to quantify environmental costs, from raw material extraction to disposal. This analysis helps identify areas for improvement in resource use, emissions, and waste management.

Finally, the Issue investigates the technological integration of energy storage within larger renewable systems, such as solar and wind farms. Effective integration enhances grid stability, load balancing, and energy reliability, addressing the intermittency challenges inherent in renewables. Overall, this Issue aims to foster sustainable and efficient energy storage solutions that can support the transition to low-carbon energy systems, reducing the dependency on fossil fuels and advancing environmental sustainability in energy infrastructure.   

We look forward to receiving your contributions. 

Dr. Francesco Montana
Dr. Nicola Campagna
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy storage
  • renewables
  • sustainability
  • life cycle assessment
  • hydrogen

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

23 pages, 3663 KB  
Article
Enhancing Grid Sustainability Through Utility-Scale BESS: Flexibility via Time-Shifting Contracts and Arbitrage
by Stefano Lilla, Marco Missiroli, Alberto Borghetti, Fabio Tossani and Carlo Alberto Nucci
Sustainability 2026, 18(3), 1404; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18031404 - 30 Jan 2026
Viewed by 881
Abstract
The increasing penetration of renewable energy introduces significant challenges to grid stability and economic performance due to the intermittent and non-dispatchable nature of solar and wind generation. These fluctuations contribute to grid congestion, frequency control issues, and price volatility, reducing revenue predictability for [...] Read more.
The increasing penetration of renewable energy introduces significant challenges to grid stability and economic performance due to the intermittent and non-dispatchable nature of solar and wind generation. These fluctuations contribute to grid congestion, frequency control issues, and price volatility, reducing revenue predictability for renewable producers. It is then clear that the challenge of energy transition can be addressed by making the introduction of renewable sources into the electricity grid sustainable. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) have emerged as a flexibility resource providing time-shifting, frequency and voltage support, congestion management, and energy arbitrage. In response, several Transmission System Operators (TSOs), such as Terna in Italy in cooperation with photovoltaic (PV) and wind power producers, have initiated flexibility projects. However, these projects are limited and should be accompanied by liberalization measures that allow BESSs to be economically sustainable only under market conditions. This study evaluates the techno-economic feasibility of utility-scale BESSs either integrated into large PV/wind farms or stand-alone for providing grid flexibility services and profit increase for the producers. Both market conditions and TSO incentives will be considered. A two-step mixed integer linear (MILP) optimization approach is employed: first, an optimization schedules BESS charge and discharge operations based on historical generation and market data; second, the Net Present Value (NPV) is maximized to determine optimal system sizing and profit. The model is validated through real case studies and sensitivity analyses including BESS degradation, market volatility, and regulatory factors. The developed model is ultimately applied to compare the study cases, and the analysis shows that, under specific conditions, the arbitrage of a stand-alone BESS can be as profitable as the incentives offered by TSOs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainability Analysis of Renewable Energy Storage Technologies)
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