USAID Grid-Scale Energy Storage Technology Primer

This report provides an overview on how various types of storage can be used to improve grid reliability and flexibility.

Higher penetrations of VRE can drive additional need for power system flexibility. Energy storage is one method of power system flexibility that has gained attention in recent years. This primer is intended to provide regulators and policymakers with an overview of current and emerging energy storage technologies for grid-scale electricity sector applications. This work provides an overview and compares key operating characteristics of select energy storage technologies and explores how these storage technologies may be used to improve the flexibility and reliability of power systems given their technical characteristics. The report covers various electrochemical (lithium-ion, lead-acid, flow, sodium-sulfur), chemical (hydrogen), mechanical (pumped hydro storage, compressed air energy storage, flywheels, gravity) and electrical (supercapacitors) storage mediums. The USAID Energy Storage Decision Guide for Policymakers is a useful companion resource to this report.

Read the report, here!