The promise of a reliable supply of clean, renewable energy
is a very good target.
However, wind and solar generation
rely on the weather to move turbines or power
panels leading to a variability in the energy they produce,
and these systems are also often built in remote locations
far away from population centers.
Distance and intermittency must be
overcome to fully rely on these clean sources of energy.
The solution is energy storage.
Storage saves up extra energy for use
when nature isn't cooperating.
Improvements to today's storage technologies
can be deployed everywhere and can benefit everyone.
At the Office of Electricity's Energy Storage program,
we're doing something about that.
We're partnering with national labs, a diverse set
of universities, and the energy community
to find ways to reduce costs and increase the safety
and reliability of storage technology
so that a grid powered by nearly 100%
renewable energy can become a practical reality
in our country.
So what are these energy storage systems?
The one you're most familiar with is the battery.
The first rechargeable batteries were created in the mid-19th
century using lead-acid chemistry--the same type
of battery still found in gas-powered cars.
Today's utility-scale batteries on the grid
are most commonly made from lithium-ion.
Mostly deployed in the mid-20th century,
pumped hydro systems use water to store energy--still the most
commonly used type of energy storage on the grid.
Today, we're on the brink of a new electric era.
Thanks to advances in energy storage technologies,
this new generation of storage has the potential
to completely transform our current grid
into the grid of the future.
All storage systems help balance load and generation
to ensure the stability, reliability,
and resilience of our electricity grid at all times.
System operators did not have this capability before,
so the mass deployment of storage technologies
creates new functionalities, including a pathway
to a decarbonized grid.
So what is it going to take to realize the future potential
of energy storage systems?
Most of today's energy storage technologies
store energy for just a few hours.
However, the clean grid of the future needs daily, weekly,
and seasonal systems for a variety of grid needs.
Currently, storage systems can be
expensive due to high material costs and reliance
on volatile supply chains for critical minerals.
Newly developed storage systems need extensive validation so
that they can operate reliably and safely before they
are deployed to the grid.
Storage technology must lead the way
in providing underserved communities
with reliable access to clean, affordable electricity.
The Office of Electricity develops solutions
for all of these challenges.
We're funding R&D into affordable, abundant, and
domestically manufacturable materials, components,
and systems.
We're advancing promising technologies
that will deliver lower-cost, longer-duration energy storage.
We're providing technical assistance and decision-making
tools to utilities, state regulators, and communities
on how to effectively deploy storage
to meet their unique needs.
We're investing in state-of-the-art facilities,
developing novel testing and validation capabilities,
and supporting at-scale deployments to boost industry
support for new storage technologies.
We're studying batteries under extreme operating conditions
to gain a better understanding of why systems fail
and how to predict failure before it occurs.
Our breakthroughs in energy storage technology
will ensure a safe, reliable, and affordable grid.
Storage will play a key role in powering our country
with clean, reliable energy.
It's a big goal, and we're up for the challenge.
Join us on our mission to support energy storage
and learn more about the Office of Electricity at our website.