Why do we need storage?
Unlike gas plants that run on demand, solar generates only during daylight and wind fluctuates with speed. As renewables gain share, storage becomes essential: capturing surplus generation at peak times and releasing it at sunset or when the wind calms.
Key storage technologies
- Lithium-ion batteries: the fastest-growing — millisecond response, ideal for grid balancing.
- Pumped hydro (PHS): pumping water uphill and regenerating electricity when needed.
- Compressed air (CAES): compressing air in underground caverns to drive turbines later.
- Hydrogen: a promising long-duration, seasonal storage medium.
A global model from our region
In July 2026, the Round-the-Clock (RTC) clean energy project in Abu Dhabi reached a historic USD 6.1 billion financial close: a 5.2 GW solar plant paired with a 19 GWh battery system delivering 1 GW of continuous clean baseload power — the world's first gigascale project of its kind, financed by 13 international and local banks.
Benefits for the grid and the economy
Storage enables: higher renewable penetration, deferring investment in gas peaker plants, improved frequency and voltage stability, and lower long-term electricity costs. It also opens a new market for local battery and component manufacturing — one of the areas our company invests in.
