Page 49 - Energize July 2022

VIEWS AND OPINION

these include thermal, chemical, metal-
air battery and pumped hydro storage
options. Technologies in the brown area,
including lithium-ion batteries, are better
suited to shorter duration applications
(a few hours) and more frequent cycling.
The blue region, with high power and low
energy capacity costs, includes thermal,
chemical (e.g., hydrogen), metal-air
battery and pumped storage hydro
technologies. Lithium-ion batteries fall in
the brown area, with low power, but high
energy-capacity costs; flow batteries fall in
the intermediate, green region.
The report shows that energy storage Figure 2: US wind capacity GW
makes deep decarbonisation of electric
power systems possible and affordable. the next 30 years, due to rapid economic expansion and to increasing adoption of electricity-
“Fossil fuel power plant operators have consuming devices such as air conditioning. Many EMDE countries lack access to low-cost
traditionally responded to demand for gas and currently rely on coal generation. The report notes that investment in VRE combined
electricity — in any given moment — by with storage is preferable to new coal generation over the medium and long term while
adjusting the supply of electricity flowing recognising that existing coal plants may linger unless forced out by policy measures such as
into the grid,” says MITEI Director Robert carbon pricing.
Armstrong, chair of the Future of Energy “Developing countries are a crucial part of the global decarbonisation challenge,” says
Storage study. “But VRE resources such Robert Stoner, one of the report authors. “Our study shows how they can take advantage
as wind and solar depend on daily and of the declining costs of renewables and storage in the coming decades to become climate
seasonal variations as well as weather leaders without sacrificing economic development and modernisation.”
fluctuations; they aren’t always available
to be dispatched to follow electricity The MIT study examines four types of storage technologies in considerable technical detail
demand. Our study finds that energy including:
storage can help VRE-dominated electricity • Electrochemical
systems balance electricity supply and • Thermal
demand while maintaining reliability in • Chemical
a cost-effective manner—that in turn • Mechanical
can support the electrification of many
end-use activities beyond the electricity
sector.”
The study, which took three years
to complete, offers a path to developing
and deploying electrical energy storage
technologies to encourage electrification
and decarbonisation throughout the
economy while minimising costs. Focusing
on three regions of the USA, the study
shows the need for a varied approach
to energy storage and electricity system
design in different parts of the country
to 2050. The results are applicable to
emerging market and developing economy
(EMDE) countries such as India [and South
Africa – ed.].
These countries are expected to see
massive growth in electricity demand over Figure 3: Falling cost of storage

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