Advances and trends of energy storage technology in Microgrid

► We make a review of the advancements of MG-based energy storage systems (ESSs). ► Future trends and challenges of ESS are proposed. ► Control strategy and optimization of hybrid ESS topology are analyzed in details. ► We point out smart ESS is a promising technology for MG and smart grid applications. Microgrid (MG) is the indispensable infrastructure of nowadays smart grid, however, fluctuation and intermittence resulted from unstable micro-sources and nonlinear loads will execute considerable impacts on normal operation of the MG. Energy storage technology presents a preferable solution to the above issue. The paper gives a full scope review of the principal energy storage technologies being developed so far, and the features and benefits of energy storage systems (ESSs) within the MG are analyzed in details including ESS configuration and topologies, power electronics interfaces, ESS control schemes for charging/discharging, control strategy of hybrid ESS as well as optimization of the renewable sources and ESS. The future trends and challenges of ESS are also fully accounted, with a view to proposing smart ESS as the promising technology in the future for MG and smart grid.