Is energy storage at a crossroads?

The Q1 2025 results demonstrate the demand for energy storage in the US to serve a grid with both growing renewables and growing load,” said Allison Weis, global head of energy storage at Wood Mackenzie. “However, the industry stands at a crossroads, with potential policy changes threatening to disrupt this momentum.”

Do energy storage systems ensure a safe and stable energy supply?

As a consequence, to guarantee a safe and stable energy supply, faster and larger energy availability in the system is needed. This survey paper aims at providing an overview of the role of energy storage systems (ESS) to ensure the energy supply in future energy grids.

Is energy storage the future?

The key conclusion of the research is that deployment of energy storage has the potential to increase significantly—reaching at least five times today’s capacity by 2050—and storage will likely play an integral role in determining the cost-optimal grid mix of the future.

Why do we need energy storage systems?

As a consequence, the electrical grid sees much higher power variability than in the past, challenging its frequency and voltage regulation. Energy storage systems will be fundamental for ensuring the energy supply and the voltage power quality to customers.

How has energy storage technology changed over the last 20 years?

Energy storage systems technologies grew enormously in the last 20 years, in particular in the electrochemical sector: power and energy densities increased, manufacturing became faster and cheaper, operation reliability can be easily ensured by current technologies.

Why should energy storage systems be tested?

The advantages of such testing setup are clear: the energy storage systems can be tested under realistic conditions, taking into account the grid complexity. This is particularly important when dynamic studies are involved.