Renewable energy cannot provide steady and interrupted flows of electricity – making energy storage increasingly

By Kolawole Yemisi Victoria

The world is set to add as much renewable power over 2022-2027 as it did in the past 20, according to the International Energy Agency.

This is making energy storage increasingly important, as renewable energy cannot provide steady and interrupted flows of electricity.

Here are four innovative ways we can store renewable energy without batteries.

Giant bricks are not what most people think of when they hear the words “energy storage”, but they are a key element of a gravity-based system that could help the world manage an increasing dependence on renewable electricity generation.

Global renewable capacity could rise as much in 2022-2027 as it did in the previous 20 years, according to the International Energy Agency. This makes energy storage increasingly important, as renewable energy cannot provide steady and interrupted flows of electricity – the sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow. As a result, we need to find ways of storing excess power when wind turbines are spinning fast, and solar panels are getting plenty of rays.

Batteries would seem to be the obvious solution, but there are several obstacles to be overcome first, including high prices and a lack of standardization around technical requirements, as Deloitte points out.

Here are four innovative ways we can store renewable energy without batteries.

Total renewable electricity capacity additions, 2001-2027

Graph showing the renewable electricity capacity additions

Global renewable capacity could rise as much in 2022-27 as it did in the previous 20 years.