
Solar and LDES: Critical Partners to Ensure 24/7 Reliable Renewable Energy
Combining solar energy with long duration energy storage paves the road to industrialization without carbonization for the world’s fastest growing economies. The targets for solar energy are clear, with 75,000 gigawatts of generating capacity to be installed by 2050. Funding pathways to reach these estimates are also clear — if not mired in the politics of fossil dependence. However, these solar installations will not yield full decarbonization without the means to store the electricity they generate for long durations. Developed economies are beginning to take steps to encourage long duration energy storage development and deployment, but it is in the rapidly growing economies around the globe where long duration energy storage — combined with solar — may be most effective.