Potential for Large Scale Energy Storage Technologies – Comparison and Ranking Including an Outlook to 2030

This paper presents results of a research project which analyzes large scale energy storage technologies in regard to their potential and the cost of storing energy. Principal findings: There is plenty of technical potential for all analyzed storage technologies in Lower Saxony, a federal state in Northern Germany. In regard to Levelized Electricity Cost (LEC), today pumped storage plants outperform the other technologies analyzed if designed as short or medium storage. Compared to today's available alternatives, hydrogen storages are already competitive as long term storage. For 2030, hydrogen storage technologies significantly reduce their LEC. However, the ranking doesn’t shift fundamentally.