A critical review of scenario-adaptive energy storage strategies for distribution networks in urban, rural and extreme environments

Energy storage systems (ESS) play a multifunctional role in power systems, with distribution network-side energy storage (DNES) serving as an indispensable component connecting the distribution station directly. While the significance of DNES is widely recognized, existing research remains fragmented across various application scenarios, lacking a systematic summarization. This paper presented a comprehensive review of ESS specifically for the distribution station, classifying DNES strategies into three distinct scenarios, including urban, rural, and extreme disaster scenarios. Through detailed analysis of previous studies, the paper examined DNES configuration methods from technical, economic and environmental perspectives, and investigated operation strategies from time, spatial and user aspects. Coupling mechanisms between ESS and renewable energy sources were also reviewed, while the impact analysis of DNES was conducted. This study implements specific energy storage solutions for different distribution network scenarios, which is of great significance for the development of resilient and sustainable power distribution systems. • Distribution network-side energy storage methods in various scenarios are reviewed. • Various storage strategies are concluded for urban, rural and extreme scenarios. • Challenges across various scenarios are summarized to guide different applications.