Energy Storage Ecosystem Offers Lowest-Cost Path to 100% Renewable Power
As states reach higher toward 100% renewable operation, energy storage will be key to enabling a more variable power supply. But no single technology will be a silver bullet for all our energy storage needs.
Rather, a portfolio of storage solutions makes best economic sense for future energy systems, according to a recent National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) analysis titled “Optimal energy storage portfolio for high and ultrahigh carbon-free and renewable power systems,” published in Energy & Environmental Science.
“The fact is, every energy system is different, with different demand, renewable deployment, weather, etc.,” said Omar J. Guerra, NREL researcher and lead author on the paper. “We have found that energy storage enables the lowest cost of energy across different timescales and economic circumstances on high-renewable systems, which means we are looking at a combination of storage technologies for the future grid.”
Storage Technology Trade-Offs
Guerra and researchers Joshua Eichman and Paul Denholm used a custom high-resolution optimization model to compare energy storage combinations across the United States. The researchers found that geographic variation, among other factors, can drastically shape an energy storage portfolio. For example, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) grid is solar-driven, discharging seasonal storage for around 50 days to cover winter months in the model, whereas the wind-driven Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) could deploy shorter-duration seasonal storage (but still much longer than most currently deployed storage technologies) with capacity of 5–14 days.
Normalized state of charge (SOC) for short-duration (SD), long-duration (LD1 and LD2), and seasonal storage (SS) in CAISO and MISO. (a) Normalized SOC for devices on CAISO with 100% renewable energy mix. (b) Normalized SOC for devices on MISO with 100% renewable energy mix. SOC = 1 (dark red) implies that the storage device is full. SOC = 0 (light red) implies that the storage device is empty.
The storage technologies face fundamental trade-offs in efficiency and capital costs for both the power and energy component, which is exactly why multiple technologies are useful. Short-duration (intraday) storage like Li-ion batteries have higher efficiencies but also high energy-related costs, while longer-duration (daily) storage like compressed air or pumped thermal have lower energy-related costs but are less efficient.
“With very high or 100% renewable power systems, we need to be conscious of what storage mix is best for which locations or systems. The costs, including costs of avoided CO2 emissions, vary substantially with choice of storage portfolios,” Guerra said.
Storage Portfolio for 100% Renewables
The researchers produced some surprising results for ultrahigh renewable systems: As a system approaches 100% renewable operation, an increasing portion of its storage portfolio would benefit from multiple-day to seasonal storage capacity. This is because of the increasing seasonal mismatch of the remaining load and the supply of renewable resources. However, on a grid like CAISO, shorter-duration storage is more effective at smoothing the diurnal swings of solar.
As seasonal storage becomes a bigger player when nearing 100% renewable systems, another surprising strategy appears in which storage-to-storage charging becomes economically advantageous. And, as a result, renewable curtailment begins to drop because more of the renewable power can be directed to storage. These dynamics for ultrahigh renewable systems highlight how competing factors can widely affect an optimal storage portfolio.
As the CAISO (top) and MISO (bottom) systems approach 100% renewable operation, curtailment of renewables begins to decline because seasonal storage becomes cost-effective and increases the system’s storage capacity.
Impact on Power Industry
Findings from the study are imminently important for system operators, technology developers, power providers, and the wider industry. The chief message for these groups is that an ideal energy storage portfolio could look significantly different from one region to the next and will vary with the percentage of renewables. As more cities and states set clean-energy targets, stakeholders that are planning 10 or 20 years ahead should be tuned-in to the broader energy storage technology space and how it fits into their systems.
What Is Next?
Now that the researchers have established substantial cost differences in storage deployments, future work will focus on a more comprehensive assessment of the value of storage.
“We need a more holistic approach,” Guerra said. “Storage technologies are very flexible and can be used for a variety of grid services. Our next step will be to understand the full range of energy storage benefits to inform optimal storage portfolios.”
Learn more about NREL’s energy analysis and energy storage research.
Article courtesy of National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
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Rivian (RIVN) is already preparing for changes under the Trump administration. In anticipation of Trump’s new auto tariffs, Rivian built a reserve of EV batteries from Asia as a countermeasure.
Rivian has a plan to overcome Trump’s tariffs
At this point, nearly every major automaker has acknowledged the damaging impact of tariffs on vehicle imports in the US.
GM, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Stellantis, and Volvo all withdrew their financial guidance due to the uncertainty. Rivian wasted no time preparing for the changes.
According to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday, Rivian has been stockpiling lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery cells from Gotion High-Tech since last year. The battery cells are used in Rivian’s Commercial Van, initially used by Rivian and now open to other businesses.
Sources familiar with the matter said Rivian covered the upfront costs to stockpile inventory for later use. China’s Gotion paid for and built a separate reserve in the US.
The sources also said that Rivian is working with Samsung SDI to move a significant portion of its battery supply from Korea to the US. Battery cells from Samsung are used in Rivian’s R1S electric SUV and R1T pickup. All three vehicles are built at Rivian’s manufacturing plant in Normal, IL.
The move is to ensure Rivian has enough supply while minimizing potential higher prices and other complications from the tariffs.
As it prepares to launch its smaller, more affordable R2, sources said Rivian is looking to secure similar deals for batteries and raw materials in the future. Rivian has reportedly already signed its first agreement, but no other details were offered.
The upcoming R2 will use cells from LG Energy Solution. Although they will initially come from Korea, LG will produce the next-gen batteries in Arizona.
Electrek’s Take
Although Trump eased some of the impacts on imported vehicles on Wednesday, many tariffs remain in place and are already causing havoc in the industry.
Almost every major automaker has withdrawn earnings guidance due to the expected impacts. Like Rivian, others are taking countermeasures, including boosting US inventory in preparation. However, how long can this last?
Trump claims that the “Golden Age of America” is here, but it looks to be the complete opposite. The tariffs will only put the US further behind as China and others emerge as global leaders in tech.
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Tesla plans to deploy a public charging network for its Tesla Semi truck, starting with 46 stations in 2027, according to a new presentation.
At a new presentation at the ACT Expo this week, Tesla’s head of the Semi program, Dan Priestley, revealed several new details about the long-awaited electric semi-truck.
During the presentation, Priesley claimed that Tesla Semi trucks have already cumulatively traveled 7.9 million miles (12.7 million km).
He didn’t disclose how many trucks contributed to this total mileage, but he did add that “more than 26 Tesla Semi trucks” have each traveled over 100,000 miles.”
These numbers have been updated from a previous presentation in September 2024, when Priestley said the Tesla Semi fleet had traveled 7.5 million miles and that a single truck had traveled 250,000 miles (400,000 km) over the last 1.5 years.
Tesla also confirmed that the truck is going to be equipped with a 25 kW Power Take Off (PTO) at the back to power external systems, like a refrigerated trailer, for example (via Jake Guerra on LinkedIn):
Priestley also revealed a few more details about Tesla’s planned expansion of its charging network for the Tesla Semi.
The company currently operates the Supercharger network. It is the most extensive EV fast-charging network in North America, but it is geared toward passenger electric vehicles and not practical for bigger commercial vehicles, like Tesla Semi.
Tesla has already deployed Megachargers, its charging station for electric semi trucks, at its own installations and those of a few customer-partners who have been testing the Tesla Semi, but now it plans to deploy public charging stations to enable long-haul trucking with the electric truck.
Priestley said that Tesla is now aiming to deploy 46 Megacharging stations as part of its public charging network by early 2027.
It is not clear whether the locations on the map accurately represent the plans, but it appears likely based on previously reported Megacharger information.
The presentation follows an update released by Tesla this week about the Tesla Semi factory in Nevada.
The automaker aims to start volume production of the truck in 2026.
Tesla Semi was first supposed to enter production in 2019, but it has been significantly delayed as Tesla tried to deliver on the promise of range and capacity.
It appears that the automaker may be able to deliver on those, but at a significantly higher price than previously announced, as we recently reported.
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Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), already the first airport in the US to be fully powered by a microgrid, is expanding its solar field with utility Duquesne Light Company (DLC) and solar owner and operator IMG Energy Solutions.
The new solar project will add more than 11,216 panels to the airport’s existing solar array, generating an additional 4.7 megawatts MW) of renewable energy. That’s enough to cut around 5 million pounds of carbon emissions annually. It’s DLC’s first-ever power purchase agreement, and clean energy will go to the regional grid to help power homes and businesses in Pittsburgh.
This expansion will sit on 12 acres of land that used to be a landfill, adjacent to Pittsburgh Airport’s eight-acre solar array, which hosts nearly 10,000 panels. This new and old infrastructure, just off the airport exit from I-376, supports the airport’s 23-MW solar and natural gas microgrid, launched in 2021.
Allegheny County executive Sara Innamorato called the project a “fantastic step” toward a more sustainable future for the region. PIT also has plans to make sustainable aviation fuel onsite.
DLC will use 100% of this project’s energy and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) to support its default service customers.
“We’re maximizing the use of airport assets for the betterment of the region – from air service to real estate development to energy innovation,” said PIT CEO Christina Cassotis. “And there’s more to come.”
The new solar field is expected to come online by 2027. So if you’re flying into Pittsburgh in a couple of years, you might spot it from your window seat.
Read more: Solar adds more new capacity to the US grid in 2024 than any energy source in 20 years
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