Design Considerations for Distributed Electrical Energy Storage in Sustainable Urban Environment

Electrical energy storage is a promising technological concept for a more sustainable environment. However, its acceptance in the highly urbanized environment has many challenges, such as technology feasibility constraints, lack of applications with positive total lifecycle return-on-investment, and above all, the safety issue. This paper assesses the design considerations at conceptual level for a network of highly distributed electrical energy storage systems in the urban setting. Our design thinking is intended to address not only the adoption challenges but also to lead to greater innovation and enterprise activities in this promising sector. A case study of an early adoption of this concept in a soon-to-be constructed mid-sized university campus is presented as an illustration.