The success of renewable energy may depend on battery storage

Battery storage is what allows renewable energy to provide power even when the sun isn't shining or the wind isn't blowing. It's key to making the electrical grid reliable as we transition away from coal and gas. Ben Tracy examines how battery technology is improving.

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[dfirth]

We have just gone through two weeks of record breaking heat wave in CA. For the first time there have been NO ROLLING BLACKOUTS OR FLEX ALERTS ISSUED. Thanks to these two new solar farms (Mojave Desert and Monterey bay) and battery storage. Game Changer.

[charleslord]

Glad to see this. Known fact for several years

[goodtohaveinajam]

I know of two different people living entirely off the grid, with solar, for many, many years. This is because there are no power lines to where they live. One's in the mountains, and the other in the desert.

[MeredithRobbins-mx]

They should've shown the "duck" curve. Compare 2021 to 2024; it's dramatic. Batteries are now supplying most of the power during peak demand in California, replacing gas peaker plants.

[imtheeastgermanguy]

You can also use sand towers where electricity heats up the Sand and it stores it over a pretty good time. Than you convert the heat back into electricity like during the night. Yes batteries are good but I guess also expensive. A sandtower project was shown in Scandinavian countries and it was successful

[grahamcook]

Renewables need storage, but not necessarily battery storage. Cryogenic air storage makes better long duration storage. Batteries are better for short duration storage, load peaks and grid stabilisation.

[JayOyster]

Correction: To make all of the renewables work (all the time) you need STORAGE, SOME OF WHICH are batteries. I'm glad the larger media organizations are finally aware of the facts that a) renewable is here is a major player on our grid, but b) they need energy storage. But too many of these stories equate storage with batteries. There are a great many options, many of them proven and with different storage qualities than batteries. Pumped hydro (including closed-loop pumped hydro), hybrid geothermal, hydro-chemical (use the extra power to make green hydrogen, green methane or green ammonia for use in airplanes and ships), gravity storage, heat battery storage . . . this is a dynamic, rapidly innovating area. Batteries are good to store power for minutes or hours. The others can go from minutes to months.

[SunsetSemaphores]

*Correction: The success of renewable energy DOES depend on energy storage!*

[gregpalmer]

All sorts of batteries and regional/national grid improvements

[tigertoo]

May depend on batteries … of course it depends on batteries. It is the key to everything power related.

[ADAMan]

What a great report! Very knowledgeable experts!

[nunyabiznez]

Well uhh....yeahh??? It's always been about storage 0_o😐

[.MHz]

May? No. Will.
Will that be a problem?
Not at all.

[jimmaag]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, you guys just figuring this out?

[bilo]

The success of renewable energy WILL require energy storage, INCLUDING BATTERIES.

[cameronf]

Solid State Sodium Ion will be the savior of our planet and societies.

[bigace]

Here’s an idea.. why not drop fuel prices to $2.0/gallon by drilling, an charge a tax of $.25/gallon for renewables. As long as fuel stays low, the tax remains. If fuel goes up, the tax decreases. 376M gallons pumped each day in America = $34B annually in tax revenue. Everyone wins.

[grahamflowers]

Batteries will never be a long term solution regards Graham Flowers MEng

[MaartenVanGestel-to]

CBS just reading Tesla Master Plan Part 3 that came out in April 2023

[anticorporatists]

I think the size of batteries getting bigger are the reasons for these heat waves due to the mining and cleaning process of the lithium-ion, coalbalt, nickel cadmium, and copper