
One of the numerous TES technologies that is garnering a lot of attention is reversible latent heat storage based on phase change materials (PCMs), which offers the advantages of high energy storage density and small temperature swings. (1,2) Over the past few decades, researchers have developed three generations of PCMs with an enthalpy range from 50 J/g to 400 J/g, ranging from plastic crystals to molten salts. (3−6) Their properties have been promoted for applications in photo-thermal conversion, electro-thermal conversion, and thermal management. (2−4) Due to the inherent benefit of latent heat capacity, the thermal storage density of PCMs makes them one of the highest technologies among thermal storage systems. [pdf]

The increase in battery demand drives the demand for critical materials. In 2022, lithium demand exceeded supply (as in 2021) despite the 180% increase in production since 2017. In 2022, about 60% of lithium, 30% of cobalt and 10% of nickel demand was for EV batteries. Just five years earlier, in 2017, these shares were. . In 2022, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) remained the dominant battery chemistry with a market share of 60%, followed by lithium. . With regards to anodes, a number of chemistry changes have the potential to improve energy density (watt-hour per kilogram, or Wh/kg). For example, silicon can be used to replace all or some of the graphite in the anode in. [pdf]
Pairing power generating technologies, especially solar, with on-site battery energy storage will be the most common trend over the next few years for deploying energy storage, according to projects announced to come online from 2021 to 2023.
Most large-scale battery energy storage systems we expect to come online in the United States over the next three years are to be built at power plants that also produce electricity from solar photovoltaics, a change in trend from recent years.
This work is independent, reflects the views of the authors, and has not been commissioned by any business, government, or other institution. Global demand for batteries is increasing, driven largely by the imperative to reduce climate change through electrification of mobility and the broader energy transition.
In China, battery demand for vehicles grew over 70%, while electric car sales increased by 80% in 2022 relative to 2021, with growth in battery demand slightly tempered by an increasing share of PHEVs. Battery demand for vehicles in the United States grew by around 80%, despite electric car sales only increasing by around 55% in 2022.
As volumes increased, battery costs plummeted and energy density — a key metric of a battery’s quality — rose steadily. Over the past 30 years, battery costs have fallen by a dramatic 99 percent; meanwhile, the density of top-tier cells has risen fivefold.
Unlike other energy sources, battery storage can supply and consume energy at different times of the day, creating a combination of cost and revenue streams that makes it challenging to directly compare storage with generation-only technologies.

Tax incentives for the energy storage industry include12:Investment Tax Credit (ITC): This federal incentive may apply to energy storage systems such as batteries, depending on ownership and usage.Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System (MACRS): This depreciation deduction can also benefit energy storage investments.Inflation Reduction Act (IRA): This law allows standalone storage systems to be eligible for a 30% ITC, and up to 70% with additional incentives2. [pdf]
Image: President Biden via Twitter. The Inflation Reduction Act’s incentives for energy storage projects in the US came into effect on 1 January 2023. Standout among those measures is the availability of an investment tax credit (ITC) for investment in renewable energy projects being extended to include standalone energy storage facilities.
Domestic Content – IRS Notice 2023-38 (May 12, 2023) An energy storage project (among others) is eligible for an “adder” bonus credit (generally an additional 10% ITC) if it satisfies US Federal Transit Administration–based “Buy America Requirements” for domestic content.
Industry Insight from Reuters Events, a part of Thomson Reuters. Tax credits in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act will accelerate storage installations near urban areas and offer greater revenue potential for projects coupled with solar, industry experts said.
In addition to the bonus for the Investment Tax Credit for projects in low-income communities, the Inflation Reduction Act: Provides a bonus credit of up to 10 percentage points for qualifying clean energy investments in energy communities.
An energy storage project (among others) located in an “energy community” receives an “adder” additional credit (generally an additional 10% ITC). The energy community guidance provides definitional rules for each of the three categories of energy communities (Brownfield Category, Coal Closure Category, and Statistical Area Category).
The separate ITC incentives mean that storage assets can be developed in "locations that best suit economics," such as in urban areas where large solar farms are not possible, he noted. Faster storage growth can mean greater potential for solar.
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