Long-duration storage emerges as a topic at ESNA 2016

October 13, 2016

An insider’s view from ESNA 2016

What we heard most frequently at ESNA last week…

| long-duration storage emerges as a topic at esna 2016 Both in the sessions we attended and on the show floor we heard again and again that utilities and policy makers need to restructure electricity markets to create new value streams and drive investments in energy storage assets that make the grid operate more efficiently.

Long-duration energy storage is an asset that can respond to and deal with high demand periods, high ramps due to renewables, infrastructure bottlenecks, and resiliency.

The feedback we received on long-duration storage:

“There is a need.” We heard from folks stopping by our booth that there are many applications – particularly renewables integration and creating resilient microgrids that long-duration would be ideal for.

But of most value to folks we talked to is the flexibility that only longer duration storage assets can provide when integrating both energy and power applications.

The utility’s veteran’s choice of energy storage…

During the Technology Developments Challenging the Utility Business Model panel on Thursday, Michael R. Niggli, the former president & chief operating officer of SDG&E, and ESS Inc.’s newest board member shared his confidence in the ability of flow batteries to tap into the promising market for long-duration energy storage.

The week before, Mr. Niggli shared a similar story withEnergy Storage Report: “As the renewable energy trend continues to reach penetration levels of 25% to 35% and potentially well beyond, it’s evident that the impact on local distribution networks, and the entire grid, is going to be pretty profound.”

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