The Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a recent report on battery storage capacity showing rosy but realistic numbers for the years to come. From next year to 2025, the agency expects that another 20.8 gigawatts (GW) of battery storage capacity will become available. The U.S. currently has 7.8 GW of storage capacity, though an additional 1.4 GW could come online by the end of the year. This marks a major escalation in scaling up battery storage facilities for utilities, especially—and much of this is because of what experts believe is an “inflection point” reached by renewables.
“What you’re seeing here is a technology starting to reach its inflection point,” Advanced Energy Economy Managing Director Ryan Katofsy told the Houston Chronicle. “Costs are down, performance is improved. There’s more awareness of the qualities (batteries) provide.” The paper also smartly notes that excess power generated by wind especially is what has states like Texas eying additional battery storage in order to reap the most benefits out of renewables, both financially and in terms of grid reliability.
