Trends and Outlook of BESS in Electrical Grids of Latin America

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are increasingly recognized as a solution to storage challenges while providing ancillary services. BESS facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources, which face issues related to variability and 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 on data from diverse sources such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Storage Database and and publicly accessible information from organizations like IRENA. Finally, the paper includes technical details regarding the first BESS installation in a distribution grid in Costa Rica. This article offers a comprehensive overview of the current status of BESS in Latin America, emphasizing their significance in the integration of intermittent renewable energy sources (IRES) and identifying future development and research opportunities.