Scenario-Based Framework for National Energy Storage Integration in Decarbonization Pathways
Main Article Content
Abstract
The integration of large-scale energy storage is pivotal for enabling re-
liable, affordable, and decarbonized national power systems. This study
introduces a scenario-based strategic planning framework to guide the de-
ployment of storage under varying policy and technological futures. Four
national-scale scenarios are examined to explore how different planning
approaches affect emissions, cost, and grid stability. The results show
that strategic early investment in storage—as modeled in Scenario A—can
lead to a 50% storage penetration rate by 2050, avoid 220 million metric
tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and reduce the Levelized Cost of Energy
from 112 to 76 USD per megawatt-hour. Scenario A also demonstrates the
most cost-effective reliability enhancement, achieving a cost per avoided
blackout hour of 105,263 USD. In contrast, Scenario D, which assumes
policy inaction, results in only 20 gigawatts of installed storage capacity
by 2050, an 18% reduction in renewable energy curtailment, and a per-
sistently high Levelized Cost of Energy of 118 USD per megawatt-hour.
These findings underscore the critical role of storage in supporting na-
tional decarbonization and highlight the need for coordinated planning.
The proposed framework serves as a practical decision-support tool for
aligning storage investments with long-term energy and climate goals.
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