Smart energy storage price trend chart

Which energy storage technologies are included in the 2020 cost and performance assessment?

The 2020 Cost and Performance Assessment provided installed costs for six energy storage technologies: lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, lead-acid batteries, vanadium redox flow batteries, pumped storage hydro, compressed-air energy storage, and hydrogen energy storage.

Why are energy storage prices so high?

Several internal and external factors have contributed to sharp price increases for grid-scale Li-ion energy storage systems (ESS) over the past 2 years. With limited options for mature, clean, dispatchable technologies and with fast-approaching clean electric mandates, current demand among many utilities has proven to be inelastic.

Why is it important to compare energy storage technologies?

As demand for energy storage continues to grow and evolve, it is critical to compare the costs and performance of different energy storage technologies on an equitable basis.

Why is a data-driven assessment of energy storage technologies important?

This data-driven assessment of the current status of energy storage technologies is essential to track progress toward the goals described in the ESGC and inform the decision-making of a broad range of stakeholders.

Which battery chemistries are best for energy storage?

Although most batteries in the energy storage market are lead-acid, other battery chemistries, such as lithium-ion (Li-ion), sodium, and flow batteries, are expected to provide additional benefits, such as increased durability or higher energy capacity for longer-term storage or other specific applications.

What types of batteries are used in energy storage systems?

However, batteries are expected to account for only a small portion of the total installed storage capacity. Various types of batteries used in energy storage systems are lithium-ion, lead-acid, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH), nickel-cadmium (NiCD), nickel-zinc (NiZn), and flow batteries, among others.