Energy transition will not fail because of storage needs – study

In contrast to some recent analyses and arguments brought forward regularly in the energy policy debate, the need for storage is not an obstacle to the progress of the energy transition, according to a study published by the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW). The need for storage can be reduced greatly by allowing a “moderate throttling down of renewable generation peaks, meaning that not every single kilowatt-hour of energy produced by wind or solar plants must be stored,” write the study’s authors Wolf-Peter Schill, Alexander Zerrahn, Claudia Kemfert, and Christian von Hirschhausen. “Additionally, new flexible power users can greatly reduce the need for storage.”

Find the press release in German here and the study in English here.

For background, read the factsheet How can Germany keep the lights on in a renewable energy future?