Grid Energy Storage: Beyond Batteries

HARVESTING RENEWABLE ENERGY When will clean energy be cheaper than (as ubiquitous as) fossil fuel energy? The economics of renewable energy depend on a symbiotic relationship of power capture, storage, and transmission. Wind and solar power cannot be turned on when needed, providing power at limited times which fails to leverage their potential. Energy storage is a missing link needed to overcome the biggest barrier in reaching the promised land of renewable energy. Utility company-scale storage systems have traditionally used Hydroelectric or Compressed Air to capture and store energy. These sources deliver high power, over a long duration, and at a much more favorable cost per kWh compared to batteries. Battery advances were seen as evolving too slowly to meet utility grid storage needs until the emergence of technology breakthroughs. A new genre of batteries are challenging the capacity, price, and lifetime limitations, potentially making this a viable storage solution. In addition, innovative startups are creating rapid, deployable, aggregated solutions to leverage green energy while optimizing the economics equation. The Energy Storage market is very large, with estimates ranging from 2 to $10 billion dollars by 2015. Additionally, Pike Research forecasts that $122 billion will be invested in energy storage projects between 2011 and 2021. - Will traditional Pumped Hydro and Compressed Air prevail over newer technologies? - Which will make the best economic sense, significant battery technology breakthroughs or flexible, fast, smaller scale solutions? - What opportunities will be created for entrepreneurs by renewable energy technologies? - How will utilities companies play? - Who will reap the profits from the industry?