Long-duration energy storage (LDES) is shifting from an esoteric technology to a technology that most utilities should consider within the next decade to address extended system imbalances and maximize the value of wind and solar on the path to decarbonization. As the role of renewables in the power system has increased, their fluctuating daily and seasonal outputs are driving opportunities for longer-duration storage resources to offer energy arbitrage and firming capacity value. Corporate trends in demanding 24/7 carbon-free energy also add value in the form of a green premium on around-the-clock clean energy that LDES can provide.
In this Leading Indicator, we explore the opportunities different LDES technologies provide and define the concrete steps utilities should be taking to build their LDES strategies.
