Understanding Energy Storage and Its Role on the Grid

The USAID-NREL Partnership develops tools and resources to assist power system operators, planners, and regulators in gaining a better understanding of the role of energy storage can play on the grid.

With increasing needs for power system flexibility, as well as rapid declines in the cost of storage technologies, more utilities and governments are determining whether energy storage is an effective option for achieving their power system priorities, including improving resilience, integrating variable renewable energy (e.g., solar PV and wind), and lowering operating costs. The USAID-NREL Partnership's energy storage resources arm policymakers with the information they need to navigate these complex choices.

Decision Support for Energy Storage Deployment

The Greening the Grid Energy Storage Toolkit offers a pair of complementing resources designed to provide a foundational layer of information about stationary, grid-connected energy storage to enable informed policy, regulatory, and investment decisions.

The decision guide outlines important factors for policymakers and electric sector regulators to consider when comparing energy storage against other means of meeting power system objectives, while the technology primer provides synopses of current and emerging energy storage technologies for grid-scale electricity sector applications. Read the full reports:

USAID Energy Storage Decision Guide for Policymakers

USAID Grid-Scale Energy Storage Technologies Primer

Energy Storage Frequently Asked Questions

The USAID-NREL Partnership has also developed short-form resources that explain many of the most asked questions about grid-scale and behind-the-meter energy storage, such as:

• Barriers to deployment
• Range of services
• Safety and location considerations.

These resources also provide concrete steps and case study examples showing how jurisdictions have approached storage implementation. Learn more by exploring the fact sheets:

Grid-Scale Battery Storage: Frequently Asked Questions

Behind-the-Meter Battery Energy Storage: Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Energy Storage Resources

For more on other topics related to grid integration and energy storage, visit the Grid Integration and Energy Storage Toolkits on the Greening the Grid website.