“The Role of Energy Storage in Future Energy Systems”

Workshop, September 30. – October 2. 2009, Bad Tölz, Germany

The Implementing Agreement “Energy Conservation through Energy Storage”, ECES, will organize a workshop on the future role of energy storage. The ECES would like to invite you to participate in this event and to contribute to the discussions.

Energy storages are central components of many energy systems. Energy can be storage as electricity, as mechanical or chemical energy or as thermal energy (heat and cold). Energy storage systems serve many applications from the integration of renewable electricity sources to energy efficient to domestic appliances.

Looking at the “Energy technology Perspective 2008”, the reduction of CO2 emissions until 2050 can only be achieved by introducing a lot more renewable energies and substantially increasing the overall energy efficiency. Both measures are tightly connected to the development of innovative storage technologies. Energy storage is explicitly mentioned in several of the “Energy Technology Roadmaps” (e.g. Wind Energy, Solar Heating and Domestic Hot water, Electric and Plug-in Vehicles and Solar Concentrated Power). In addition to that, at the last workshop of the Experts Group on Science for Energy (EGSE, former AHGSET) energy storage was defined as one of the key energy technology challenges.

Actvities on energy storage are ongoing in a number of Implementing Agreements. The fields of applications are covering a wide range. However some of the basic problems in the development of efficient storage systems are similar. This big variety of technologies and applications of energy storage creates a need for better coordination of the different activities. Like other “Coordination Groups” for buildings (BCG) or electricity grids, a group on energy storage could help to identify possible synergies for the future and to initiate coordinated actions in the future.

To discuss this topic we invite all interested Implementing Agreements, the Working Parties and the IEA Secretariat to our workshop in Bad Tölz, Germany on September 30. – October 2. 2009.

Astrid Wille
Chairman ECES

Andreas Hauer
Executive Secretary