Renewable Energy Integration with Energy Storage and Microgrids: Control Strategies, Polymer-Enabled Technologies, and Future Grid Trends
Gbangbala Usman Alao
*
Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom.
Enoch Nii-Okai
Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, USA.
Oghenetega A. Okpoko
Department of Engineering Applications & Compliance ComEd, IL, USA.
Benjamin Osaze Enobakhare
Department of Service Support Engineer, Peterbilt Motors (PACCAR Inc), Denton, Texas, USA.
Adekunle Sulaimon Tomotele
Department of Southern African Sites System Integration, (Southern African Region) Huawei Technologies, China.
Olumide S. Alonge
Department of Chemistry, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
Adedamola O. Oladunni
Department of Transmission and Substation Engineering, ComEd, IL, USA.
Adeniyi Adebayo
Project and Construction Department, ATCO Electric, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Miracle A. Hilliman
Department of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The global transition toward renewable energy is fundamentally reshaping power systems, introducing challenges related to variability, reduced inertia, and the growing need for operational flexibility. Energy storage systems (ESS) and microgrids have emerged as key enablers for reliable and resilient renewable integration, providing services such as energy shifting, frequency regulation, voltage support, and islanded operation. Despite significant progress, existing literature often treats materials innovation and system-level grid operation in isolation, limiting a holistic understanding of their combined impact. This review presents an integrated perspective on renewable energy sources, energy storage, and microgrid architectures, with emphasis on hierarchical and data-driven control strategies and energy management frameworks. It highlights the role of polymer-based materials in enhancing the safety, durability, and lifecycle performance of storage systems, and examines emerging trends including grid-forming inverters, hybrid storage configurations, and autonomous microgrids. By bridging materials science, power electronics, and control engineering, this work provides both researchers and practitioners with a structured knowledge base that supports resilient grid planning, informed policy development, and the deployment of sustainable, renewable-dominated power systems.
Keywords: Renewable energy integration, energy storage systems, microgrids, polymers, grid-forming inverters, energy management, hybrid storage, low-inertia grids, system resilience, sustainable materials