Which energy storage solutions will be the leading energy storage solution in MENA?

Electrochemical storage (batteries) will be the leading energy storage solution in MENA in the short to medium terms, led by sodium-sulfur (NaS) and lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries.

How can governments support energy storage development in the GCC region?

The governments in the GCC region could collaborate with energy storage developers to introduce favorable regulations and provide capital investments to support the development of a utility-scale energy storage market and eliminate the financing risk and uncertainty factor for the projects by providing long-term contracts through auctions.

Can energy storage be integrated in MENA?

Although the energy storage market in MENA is bound to grow, several barriers exist that hinder the integration of ESS and the ramping up of investments. Financial, regulatory, and market barriers need to be addressed via policy tools that lay the foundations for an evolved power market to integrate the deployed ESS.

Is energy storage a solution to balancing supply and demand?

Storage as a solution: Energy storage has emerged as one of the potential solutions to address the challenge of balancing supply and demand that arises from the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources. Increases the reliability and stability of the power grid by smoothing out fluctuations in supply and demand.

Why do we need energy storage systems?

This necessitates reinforcing the power network, firming capacities, and enhancing the grids’ stability and flexibility. Increasing the deployment of intermittent energy sources without integrating energy storage systems may jeopardize the power system stability and security of supply.

Is battery energy storage a new technology?

The battery energy storage market has not experienced any significant growth in this region hence it is still seen as a new technology and the costs are relatively high compared to the parts of the world.