Solar Power and Energy Storage: Pairing Technologies Vital to Our Future
Solar Power and Energy Storage: Pairing Technologies Vital to Our Future
Rhone Resch, President and CEO, SEIA
September 25, 2013
As the worlds electricity demand grows, its imperative that we cut polluting emissions. Solar electricity is meeting an increasingly-significant percentage of global energy demand. Smart, consistent long-term solar policies, such as the investment tax credit (ITC) and renewable portfolio standards, and industry innovations in technology and financing, have made solar a bright spot in our economy. The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) forecasts that 5.2 gigawatts of new solar electric capacity will come online in 2013. Our industry stands ready to accelerate solar deployment, producing many gigawatts of clean, emissions-free electricity.
As solar deployment increases, SEIA is focused on accelerating renewable energy generation without sacrificing reliability. Energy professionals, business leaders, policymakers and the public view storage as a crucial technology that complements solar. Advancing energy storage is vital to our mission of ensuring that renewables become an increasingly mainstream source of our worlds power supply. Solar professionals are excited about tremendous innovations in this realm.
Universities, scientists, inventors, investors, engineers, and entrepreneurs are engaged in advancing storage technologies that will revolutionize our world. An IMS Research report forecast that the market for storing power generated by solar will soar from approximately $200 million in 2012 to $19 billion by 2017.
Catastrophic events such as Superstorm Sandy have shown that lives can be lost, homes and businesses damaged and destroyed, and entire regions crippled by natural disasters. Pairing emissions-free solar with energy storage / back-up generation will make our grid more resilient and our nation and the planet healthier and more secure.
Several battery chemistries are being pursued: advanced lead acid, lithium-ion, flow, liquid-metal, sodium-ion, sodium-sulfur, vanadium redox, nickel-metal, etc. Theyve targeted applications and unique benefits.
Several solar companies are already integrating energy storage in their deployments...
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/09/solar-power-and-energy-storage-pairing-technologies-vital-to-our-future