Sustaining the power grid: Breakthroughs and challenges in long-duration energy storage

Smart, Ezekiel Ezekiel and Otaru, Kabiru and Raji, Kazeem Olatunde and Asere, Joshua Babatunde and Anifowose, Olabode and Fajobi, Michael Oluwatobiloba and Ojo, Oluwafemi Tayo (2025) Sustaining the power grid: Breakthroughs and challenges in long-duration energy storage. World Journal of Advanced Engineering Technology and Sciences, 15 (2). pp. 1113-1144. ISSN 2582-8266

The rapid shift towards renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind power, is both a triumph and a challenge for modern energy grids. While these resources promise a cleaner future, their inherent intermittency threatens grid stability, leaving power systems vulnerable to fluctuations and supply shortfalls. Long-Duration Energy Storage (LDES) emerges as the game-changer—an indispensable solution that captures surplus energy when the sun shines and the wind blows, then delivers it precisely when demand peaks or generation falters. This review delves into the cutting-edge advancements, persistent challenges, and future prospects of LDES technologies in fortifying grid resilience. It explores a spectrum of storage solutions—chemical, mechanical, thermal, and electrochemical—analyzing their potential to replace fossil-fuel-based peaking plants, enable deep renewable integration, and revolutionize energy security. Despite its transformative promise, LDES adoption remains constrained by high capital costs, efficiency trade-offs, and policy uncertainties. Infrastructure bottlenecks, market hesitancies, and environmental considerations further complicate large-scale deployment. This paper critically evaluates these barriers while spotlighting groundbreaking innovations, including next-generation nanomaterials, AI-driven optimization, hybrid storage frameworks, and pioneering hydrogen and ammonia-based energy solutions. Global pilot projects are already proving LDES’s viability, showcasing real-world applications that reinforce a cleaner, more resilient, and decentralized energy system. To accelerate progress, bold policy frameworks, strategic financial incentives, and relentless research into cost-effective storage pathways are paramount. As technology matures and regulations evolve, LDES is poised to become the backbone of a future-proof, low-carbon, and highly adaptive power grid.