Stronger Storms Require More Resilient Grids

Long-duration energy storage willenable faster recovery from climate-driven disasters.

2024 is officially an above average yearfor hurricane activity in the Atlantic. But "above average" does not do justice to the devastation experienced by communities stemming from these climate-driven natural disasters. In October alone, Hurricanes Helene and Milton left a trail of widespread destruction across regions as disparate as the mountains of western North Carolina and the coasts of central Florida. Initial estimates place the dollar impact of the two storms at approximately $300 billion, though recovery efforts are still underway. Regardless of the dollar figure, in the immediate aftermath of the storms, hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses were damaged or destroyed and millions were without power.

These storms followed Hurricane Beryl which caused nearly 3 million homes to lose power and at least 23 storm-related deathsin Texasearlier this year - some due to days-long power outages in the mid-summer heat.

The convergence of an increasingly unstable climate and an aging electric grid and has doubled power outagescaused by extreme weather over the past two decades. From deep freezesto heat waves, wildfires to hurricanes, extreme weather events are not only increasing in severity but lasting longer and affecting previously unaffected regions. Adding to the risk is our increasing reliance on electricity. Electrification of transportation and buildings, and reliance upon technology for most aspects of daily life, means that widespread power outages cripple affected regions.

At the same time, the global transition to clean energy is accelerating. This presents an opportunity: as we deploy new clean energy technologies and infrastructure, we can design with resilience in mind.

Renewables + storage weather the storm

Following the near complete destruction of the island's power grid after Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, Puerto Rico did just this. Solar-plus-storage installations on the island skyrocketedfrom approximately 9,000 projects before Maria to more than 80,000 today. Communities are building microgridsthat pair solar generation with energy storage to power essential businesses and services during future interruptions.

This approach is already demonstrating results: when Hurricane Fiona made landfall in 2022, power was restored to 84% of residents within a week, a drastic improvement in just five years. Microgrids are effective on the mainland too. When Hurricane Ian made landfall in Florida in 2022, millions lost power but communities powered by microgridsmade it through the storm without outages. Ian and Fiona put these microgrid-powered communities to the test, with great results.

Entering the era of long-duration energy storage

To take the lessons learned from these examples mainstream, we're going to need a lot of energy storage, and that storage will need to be able to store more energy than the lithium-ion batteries most often deployed today. New long-duration energy storage technologies, like iron flow, can build on this progress and make resilient infrastructure a reality everywhere. With growing renewable penetration, longer-duration storage is better suited to deliver power not only through typical evenings and into the morning, but also during longer interruptions.Fortunately, LDES solutions that can deliver up to 12 hours of discharge are now available for commercial and utility-scale applications, and they are already illustrating what the LDES future will look like.

For example, at an industrial recycling facility in Pennsylvania, an ESS LDES system is paired with a solar array to provide resilient, reliable energy in a region that experiences frequent grid interruptions due to storms. This solution not only reduces the facility's carbon footprint but ensures uninterrupted operation even during grid disruptions.

Extreme conditions call for safe, stable storage

When considering the risks of natural disasters, energy storage technologies that are safe, reliable and sustainable in extreme conditions are imperative. Customers around the world are seeking out iron flow technology for exactly these reasons.

ESS iron flow batteries rely on a safe and sustainable electrolyte comprised primarily of iron, salt and water. ESS products and components have achieved multiple industry-leading safety certifications, demonstrating their ability to operate safely and effectively in a variety of conditions. Most recently, ESS' utility-scale Energy Center product line became the first non-lithium LDES technology to achieve IEEE 693 - High certification for seismic resilience, demonstrating its suitability for projects in earthquake-prone regions.

A transition rooted in resiliency

With LDES technologies such as iron flow entering the market, the next phase of the energy transition is within reach. This energy storage evolution enables renewable energy generation to support businesses and communities around the clock, even amidst extreme conditions. Resilience will be a defining factor in the clean energy transition, and early adopters are already paving the way a low carbon future powered by resilient, renewable energy in the uncertain climate of the future.

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