The lowest cost way to store energy

What is the cost of energy storage?

For the grid to be 100 percent powered by a wind-solar mix, energy storage would have to cost roughly US $20 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). This is an intimidating stretch for lithium-ion batteries, which dipped to $175/kWh in 2018.

How can energy storage reduce energy costs?

According to Chiang, advancing energy storage technologies and economies of scale should help drive down costs further and allow renewables to meet their full potential. The key is to develop storage technologies that can reach those low capital costs of $20/kWh.

Is low-cost storage the key to renewable electricity?

According to Yet-Ming Chiang, a materials science and engineering professor at MIT, 'low-cost storage is the key to enabling renewable electricity to compete with fossil fuel generated electricity on a cost basis'. But the question remains, exactly how low?

Why is energy storage important?

"We have found that energy storage enables the lowest cost of energy across different timescales and economic circumstances on high-renewable systems, which means we are looking at a combination of storage technologies for the future grid."

How long does an energy storage system last?

The 2020 Cost and Performance Assessment analyzed energy storage systems from 2 to 10 hours. The 2022 Cost and Performance Assessment analyzes storage system at additional 24- and 100-hour durations.

Which type of storage is more efficient?

Short-duration (intraday) storage like Li-ion batteries have higher efficiencies but also high energy-related costs, while longer-duration (daily) storage like compressed air or pumped thermal have lower energy-related costs but are less efficient.