LDES Council Joins the United Nations 24/7 Carbon-Free Compact
11 August 2023 – Brussels, Belgium – The Long Duration Energy Storage Council (LDES Council), the leading authority on long duration energy storage, has joined the United Nations (UN) 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact, an ambitious global group of companies, policymakers, organizations, and investors on a mission to provide clean energy through all hours of the day, by decarbonizing the world’s electricity system.
The 24/7 Carbon Free Energy Compact is overseen by the UN and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL), with a growing list of signatories, including Google, Microsoft, Xcel Energy, Johnson Controls, Malta, and Orsted.
24/7 carbon-free energy requires 100% clean and reliable power to be available every hour of the day. To achieve true 24/7 clean energy, renewable energy supply must be matched at all times to demand, including during lulls, extended periods of extreme weather, and during critical grid infrastructure outages.
Long duration energy storage (LDES) is essential to ensuring reliable and sustainable power is available 24/7. LDES can capture excess energy generated during periods of low demand and with inexpensive prices for use later when electricity or heat demand is high. This clean energy is stored using non-lithium battery technologies, pumped hydro storage, or thermal energy storage systems.
Julia Souder, CEO of the LDES Council and Chair of the Global Renewables Alliance said, “As our global communities work together to address the intensity of weather challenges, the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy Compact is a critical partnership providing advocacy to effectively decarbonize small and large energy systems."
The LDES Council recently attended the Clean Energy Ministerial in Goa, India, hosted by India and the United Nations. In an event led by SE4All, UN Energy, and the Global Renewables Alliance, Julia highlighted findings from the LDES Council’s 24/7 Clean Power Purchase Agreements report on the need for long term clean power purchase agreements and innovative technologies and strategies to reduce emissions. She stressed the importance of decarbonization in achieving SDG 7 and how the groups are working towards the common goal of delivering 24/7 Carbon-free Energy.
The LDES Council also recently joined REN21, an international policy network dedicated to building a sustainable energy future with clean technology. And, through the LDES Council’s work as a founding member of the Global Renewables Alliance, has pledged to work with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and other key leaders to bring together more private and public sector ambition to achieve 24/7 clean energy.
Global leaders are requiring a tripling of the global renewable capacity to 11TW by 2030 to reach 24/7 clean energy globally. 4TW of long duration energy storage will be needed by 2030 to accommodate the acceleration of renewable energy, with an ultimate target of 8TW by 2040 of LDES worldwide.
In the coming months, the LDES Council looks forward to working alongside the Global Renewables Alliance, SE4All, REN21, and IRENA during Climate Week New York.
The groups are developing strategies to unleash the potential of renewables by overcoming barriers such as permitting red tape, while putting in place important enablers such as financing mechanisms and clear regulatory frameworks at COP 28.
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About the LDES Council
The Long Duration Energy Storage Council is a global non-profit with over 60 members in 20 countries. The LDES Council advances the decarbonization of our world through the acceleration of long duration energy storage by providing member-driven, fact-based guidance and research on the deployment of long duration energy storage for society's benefit.
An executive-led organization, the LDES Council represents the ecosystem of industry leaders supporting the diversity of energy storage technologies as well as technology innovators, energy users, equipment manufactures and investors. The LDES Council publishes findings and reports to encourage the wide adoption of long duration energy storage to replace the use of fossil fuels providing flexibility and resilient energy solutions accelerating carbon neutrality. Read more at www.ldescouncil.com.
Media Contact:
Larissa Fair, Chief of Staff & VP Communications
lfair@ldescouncil.com
ldescouncil@greenhouse.agency