Global ESS Policy Overview Whitepaper

Sustainability and net zero emissions are the most spoken words of the decade in the energy sector. Several nations across the globe have committed to net-zero emissions targets slated to be achieved by the year 2040 to 2070. The goal is to achieve these targets through renewable energy, energy storage, hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels, modular nuclear, and suitable climate technologies. At the center of decarbonization efforts in the electricity, transportation, and industrial sectors are renewable energy and hydrogen (both blue and green). Due to the intermittent nature of renewable power, a round-the-clock supply of clean electricity necessitates the storage of electricity. Energy storage, therefore, is inevitable for grid electricity supply and stabilization, and for powering the critical technology of electrolyzers used for producing green hydrogen.

There are several types of energy storage technologies that are being pilot-tested and adopted across the globe for a variety of applications ranging from electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, to backup at consumer sites. While pumped hydro energy storage has been traditionally used for energy storage and grid flexibilization applications, emerging technologies such as battery energy storage, flywheels, and compressed air storage are also being deployed for various use cases.

This whitepaper intends to serve as a reference to regulators, utilities, and energy sector stakeholders to deepen their knowledge of global policies and electricity frameworks for energy storage systems that support the decarbonization of the electric grid.