What is the future of energy storage?

Storage enables electricity systems to remain in balance despite variations in wind and solar availability, allowing for cost-effective deep decarbonization while maintaining reliability. The Future of Energy Storage report is an essential analysis of this key component in decarbonizing our energy infrastructure and combating climate change.

How does energy storage work?

Energy storage creates a buffer in the power system that can absorb any excess energy in periods when renewables produce more than is required. This stored energy is then sent back to the grid when supply is limited.

Why is energy storage important?

Energy storage is a potential substitute for, or complement to, almost every aspect of a power system, including generation, transmission, and demand flexibility. Storage should be co-optimized with clean generation, transmission systems, and strategies to reward consumers for making their electricity use more flexible.

Do energy storage systems cover green energy plateaus?

Energy storage systems must develop to cover green energy plateaus. We need additional capacity to store the energy generated from wind and solar power for periods when there is less wind and sun. Batteries are at the core of the recent growth in energy storage and battery prices are dropping considerably.

Are distributed energy storage systems a good option for emergency situations?

Distributed energy storage systems equipped for emergency scenarios, however, do have the potential to soften these types of hardships. These systems could help residents power critical loads, such as heaters during extreme cold or plug-in medical devices, while the power is out.

Why do we need a co-optimized energy storage system?

The need to co-optimize storage with other elements of the electricity system, coupled with uncertain climate change impacts on demand and supply, necessitate advances in analytical tools to reliably and efficiently plan, operate, and regulate power systems of the future.