Energy storage is vital for renewable energy’s future

In short, intermittent generation is the irregular availability of electricity over a certain time period. When weather conditions are less than favourable, the efficiency of renewable sources decrease, which can make electricity generation inconsistent and unreliable. Since leading renewable technologies like solar, hydro, wind and geothermal power are weather dependent, they can’t provide electricity year-round as single sources.

For example, hydropower, which accounts for 16% of global power generation, is largely dependent on water currents, precipitation levels and is impacted by the seasons. Wind power relies on wind speed, concentration and temperature, and solar power depends on the sun’s energy concentration, the amount of diffuse solar radiation and the time of year.

Because of these variances, these sources are considered ‘non-dispatchable’, meaning their output can’t be turned on or off as required to meet society’s fluctuating electricity needs.