LDES, the future of renewable energy

LDES (long duration energy storage) are developing in parallel with renewable energies because they are necessary for decarbonization.

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LDES (long duration energy storage) are developing in parallel with renewable energies because they are necessary for decarbonization.

An essential development

The development of LDES is essential to contribute to the fight against climate change. It is the perfect complement to clean but intermittent energy sources. Energy storage is indeed necessary when the intermittency of solar and wind energy prevents the production of energy.

Storage technologies already exist. However, the development of LDES is not enough. These technologies have the potential to ensure system reliability by enabling cost-effective decarbonization of power systems.

In recent years, lithium-ion batteries have received increasing interest. However, these batteries lack economic competitiveness for long-term energy storage. In addition, they have safety and sustainability issues, including thermal runaway and significant recycling costs.

Long-term storage technologies already exist and are promising. Their use seems more appropriate than lithium-ion batteries for many purposes. However, the cost of these technologies is expensive and efforts are needed to reduce it.

Various LDES technologies

Various LDES technologies already exist, each at different levels of maturity and market readiness. Among these, the RFB (Redox flow battery) technology is characterized by its ease of adaptation. It has a long service life and high operational safety. These characteristics make these batteries suitable for stationary storage.

However, this technology suffers from its low energy density compared to lithium-ion batteries. Within the RFB technology, VRFB (Vanadium RFB) batteries have been more widely deployed to date. High initial investment costs hindered their adoption.

The fluctuating cost of vanadium presents an additional challenge. Rapid scaling is needed to reduce costs and realize the potential of this technology. In addition, thermal energy storage and mechanical storage can also be interesting LDES technologies.

Thermal energy storage has the advantage of using cheap and abundant materials. However, converting heat into electricity in an efficient and cost-effective manner is a technological challenge. The mechanical storage is confronted with the need of a suitable topography for its development.

Canadian Solar's subsidiary commissions the Papago Storage facility, supplying electricity to Arizona Public Service to meet high summer demand, thus strengthening local energy capacity with a total potential of 1,800 MWh.
EDF Power Solutions has been selected by the Japanese government to build a 110 MW lithium-ion battery after winning a public tender aimed at enhancing the flexibility of the country's electricity grid.
Atmos Renewables has completed financing for a 100 MW battery energy storage system in Western Australia, marking the company's first asset of this type in the region and strengthening its presence in the Australian energy market.
Eos Energy Enterprises has received an additional $22.7mn from the US Department of Energy to complete the first phase of its battery manufacturing project in the United States, bringing total funding to $90.9mn.
A Wood Mackenzie report estimates required battery investments at $1.2 trillion to integrate an additional 5,900 GW of renewable energy, highlighting battery storage systems' key role in stabilising electrical grids.
Chinese company HyperStrong and Swedish firm Repono AB announce a strategic agreement to jointly implement large-scale energy storage projects totalling 1.4 GWh in Europe by the end of 2027.
Globeleq and African Rainbow Energy finalise financing for Africa's largest standalone battery energy storage project, raising ZAR 5.4 billion ($300 million) from Absa and Standard Bank in South Africa.
Matrix Renewables and Pioneer Community Energy have signed an energy capacity contract for a 22 MW battery storage project in Kern County, operational from early 2026.
The Ignitis Group is starting the construction of three battery energy storage systems in Lithuania, with a combined capacity of 291 MW and a total investment of €130mn.
Alinta Energy has appointed GenusPlus Group to build the first phase of the Reeves Plains Energy Hub Battery, a high-capacity storage facility designed to support grid stability in South Australia.
A partnership between Indonesia Battery and Contemporary Amperex Technology aims to launch a lithium-ion battery plant in Indonesia by the end of 2026, with a 6.9 gigawatt-hour capacity and planned expansion.
State Grid Wuzhong Power Supply Company announces the completion of the energy storage compartment at Tongli substation, a key step for the upcoming integration of a 300 MW shared storage power plant in Ningxia.
Globeleq and African Rainbow Energy finalise commercial agreements for a 153 MW energy storage project in South Africa, aimed at enhancing national grid stability and optimising peak energy management.
Estimated at 40.9 billion dollars in 2024, the global microgrid market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 19.28% to reach 191.01 billion dollars by 2033, driven notably by innovative energy contracts.
The U.S. energy storage market set a historic record in early 2025, surpassing 2 GW installed in the first quarter despite increasing uncertainty regarding federal fiscal policies and tax credits.
The Sino-Moroccan joint venture COBCO has begun manufacturing essential lithium-ion battery components at its Jorf Lasfar plant, targeting a final annual capacity of 70 GWh, enough to equip one million electric vehicles.
Trianel teams with BKW and Luxcara to build a 900 MW lithium-iron-phosphate storage park in Waltrop, the first phase of a complex that could reach 1.5 GW and stabilise the German grid.
Blue Whale Energy partners with UNIGRID to deploy behind-the-meter storage systems adapted to constrained commercial and industrial urban areas in Southeast Asia.
Northvolt, recently placed under judicial administration, has received an indicative offer from a foreign investor to acquire its Swedish assets, signaling a potential imminent restart of its battery production units.
The frame agreement aligns Jinko ESS’s utility-scale storage technology with Metlen’s development pipeline, unlocking more than 3GWh across Chile and Europe while reducing delivery risk for grid operators.