Switched On New Energy Storage Solutions Test Lithium-Ion’s Reign
48 snips
Jul 31, 2024 Yiyi Zhou, a clean power specialist at BNEF, and Evelina Stoikou, a senior associate on BNEF's energy storage team, dive into the future of energy storage technologies. They examine the competitive landscape for long-duration storage solutions that could rival lithium-ion batteries. The discussion includes insights from their Long-Duration Energy Storage Cost Survey, highlighting innovations like sodium-sulfur and molten salt batteries. They also explore how government policies are shaping the adoption of these technologies globally, particularly in China.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
No Single Definition Or One-Size-Fits-All
- Long-duration storage lacks a single definition; BNEF uses >=6 hours while policies vary between 4–10 hours globally.
- Technologies differ by use case and duration, so many cannot be directly swapped for each other.
Costs Fall With Longer Duration
- Long-duration technologies are grouped as electrochemical, mechanical, and thermal, each with distinct storage mechanisms.
- Capital costs fall as duration increases for many LDS because energy and power components can be decoupled.
China Drives Scale And Lower Costs
- China leads deployment and cost reductions for several long-duration technologies, notably compressed air and flow batteries.
- Chinese projects scale far larger than most pilot projects elsewhere, driving local cost advantages.