State grid energy storage cabinet

Is energy storage a viable resource for future power grids?

With declining technology costs and increasing renewable deployment, energy storage is poised to be a valuable resource on future power grids—but what is the total market potential for storage technologies, and what are the key drivers of cost-optimal deployment?

What is grid-scale storage?

Grid-scale storage refers to technologies connected to the power grid that can store energy and then supply it back to the grid at a more advantageous time – for example, at night, when no solar power is available, or during a weather event that disrupts electricity generation.

How does grid connected energy storage affect environmental performance?

Round-trip efficiency, annual degradation, and generator heat rate have a moderate to strong influence on the environmental performance of grid connected energy storage. 28 Energy storage will help with the adoption of intermittent energy, like solar and wind, by storing excess energy for times when these sources are unavailable. 29

What could drive future grid-scale storage deployment?

By 2050, annual deployment ranges from 7 to 77 gigawatts. To understand what could drive future grid-scale storage deployment, NREL modeled the techno-economic potential of storage when it is allowed to independently provide three grid services: capacity, energy time-shifting, and operating reserves.

Why is grid-scale battery storage important?

Grid-scale storage, particularly batteries, will be essential to manage the impact on the power grid and handle the hourly and seasonal variations in renewable electricity output while keeping grids stable and reliable in the face of growing demand. Grid-scale battery storage needs to grow significantly to get on track with the Net Zero Scenario.

What are the different types of energy storage policy?

Approximately 16 states have adopted some form of energy storage policy, which broadly fall into the following categories: procurement targets, regulatory adaption, demonstration programs, financial incentives, and consumer protections. Below we give an overview of each of these energy storage policy categories.