The 21st century will be electric. Electricity worldwide is growing, and will continue to grow, faster than primary energy demand [1]. Meeting this demand, while respecting a trajectory of + 2°C by 2035 to contain the effects of global warming, requires the use of low-carbon means of production, including gas and renewable solar and wind energies. Electricity storage is an essential complement to these intermittent energies, along with other flexibility solutions such as flexible conventional means, electricity grids and smart grids. While pumped storage currently accounts for ~ 99 % of installed stationary storage capacity, with ~ 142 GW [2], batteries have seen accelerated deployment since 2010, with around 1.6 GW [3] of capacity deployed and operational.
These installations cover a wide range of realities, illustrating the many possible applications with sometimes very different technical requirements and business models. These various points will be illustrated and discussed, with an emphasis on value creation and links from materials and electrochemistry to the fully integrated storage system and the reality of its operation in the field.
