Energy Storage Partnership (ESP) | Program Profile

A Global Partnership Convened by the World Bank Group to Adapt and Develop Energy Storage Solutions for Developing Countries

Energy storage is pivotal for the decarbonization of the power sector and thus the energy transition. Its impact goes from enhancing renewable energy deployment, to increasing energy access and decarbonizing other sectors (e.g. transportation). For instance, over the past decade, the prices for solar panels and wind farms have reached all-time lows, leading to hundreds of gigawatts worth of new renewable energy generation worldwide. However, as countries seek to transition from fossil fuels, energy experts and government officials need to find ways to secure constant renewable energy supply to power systems – even when the sun does not shine, and the wind does not blow. To provide flexibility, increase solar and wind power use, and energy systems resilience, energy storage solutions are crucial. These technologies enable renewable energy storage when sunlight and wind power are available, and it is supplied when users need it the most.  In addition, energy storage provides a solution to achieve flexibility, enhance grid reliability and power quality, and accommodate the scale-up of renewable energy. On-grid and off-grid energy storage solutions have a large impact on access to the electricity around the world, improving people’s life and ensuring a better future for new generations. Furthermore, energy storage technologies have transformed multiple sectors, such as the transportation one through e-mobility, the heating and cooling one, the extractives one, among others. 

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To enable the rapid uptake of Variable Renewable Energy (VRE) in developing countries, the World Bank Group convened the Energy Storage Partnership (ESP)¸ a global initiative involving national laboratories, research institutions, development agencies, and philanthropies. The ESP aims to foster international technological cooperation and training to develop and adapt to new energy storage solutions tailored to the needs and conditions of developing countries. The partnership is also committed to closing gender gaps in the energy storage sector by fostering the professionalization and leadership of women through the Women in Energy Storage (WES) mentoring program in partnership with Global Women’s Network for Energy Transition (GWNET).

The ESP is hosted at the World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP). The partnership takes a holistic, technology-neutral approach by looking at all forms of energy storage, including but not limited to batteries. By developing and adapting new storage solutions to the needs of developing countries, the ESP supports the expansion of the global market for energy storage, leading to improved technologies and accelerating cost reductions over time. In this context, the Battery Storage Investment Program supported the mobilization of over 850 million USD for battery storage projects, channeled through CIFs, Canada Climate Finance Facility, and other climate funds. Closing this funding gap, the ESP has contributed to over 5.5 GWh of battery storage commitments in active projects, and to 3.9 additional GWh of identified capacity in future pipeline. 

Specifically, the ESP aims to foster international cooperation on:

  • Technology Research Development & Demonstration, Applications

  • System Integration, Planning Tools, and Safety Standards

  • Policies, Regulations, Business Models, and Procurement

  • Circular Economy and Battery End-of-Life Approaches

  • Decentralized Energy Solutions with an Energy Storage Component

  • Enabling Systems for Management and Sustainability

  • Flexible Sector Coupling with Energy Storage Use Cases

  • Capacity Building

  • Gender Equality in the Energy Storage Sector

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Working together, the 56 ESP partners are developing a knowledge base in energy storage solutions tailored to the needs of developing countries. The ESP incorporates an international approach to research and development, knowledge-sharing, training, and capacity building to address some of the critical barriers to stationary energy storage market growth in developing countries. By connecting stakeholders and sharing experiences in deploying energy storage and advancements in storage technologies, the ESP helps bring new technological and regulatory solutions to developing countries and help develop new business models that leverage the full range of services that storage can provide.

Our Work

In 2023, the ESP focused on various activities including:

Accelerating commercial deployment: The ESP, alongside government partners India, Morocco, and South Africa, made strides in the development of a Global Network of Energy Storage Testbeds to accelerate the commercial deployment of pre/early-market energy storage technologies in developing countries and to improve renewable energy integration and energy access. Currently, the ESP is working on testbed design with the same three countries.

Fostering gender equality in the energy storage sector: ESP successfully organized two cohorts of its signature Women in Energy Storage (WES) Mentoring Program in collaboration with GWNET. The mentoring program focuses on career development and improving technical knowledge on thermal energy storage and battery storage for the grids, batteries for renewable energy hybrids, and mini grids. Between both cohorts, the program received over 350 applications from more than 50 countries. Both cohorts of the WES Mentoring Program encompass around 45 mid-career women from 20 countries of all WBG regions, working in energy utilities, public sector, private sector, consulting, and academia. Both men and women, mentors are volunteers and global energy storage experts that provide guidance and advice for technical and career development issues the mentees inquire about. Following the second edition’s current success, the ESP and GWNET opened applications for a third cohort of mentees in 2023, hence continuing to work together to narrow gender gaps in the energy sector. The ESP is seeking to expand the initiative by implementing dedicated chapters by region. Applications for mentors are open on a rolling basis. 

Knowledge-sharing through the (Virtual) Energy Storage Academy: ESP fosters knowledge-sharing and discussions among government officials from developing countries, energy storage experts, and World Bank staff through a series of interactive virtual, high-level training sessions named Energy Storage Academy. Its mission was to provide a platform to share experiences on deploying energy storage in developing countries, share ESP’s insights and original research, and create an opportunity for participants interested in energy storage projects to learn from experts. In 2023, the ESP launched its massive open online course called the Virtual Energy Storage Academy (VESA) that provides a user-friendly platform for anyone interested in energy storage to learn more about multiple topics within the sector. 

Global knowledge creation: ESP produced three World Bank-led reports focusing on (i) reuse and recycling of lithium-ion battery energy storage systems; (ii) warranties for energy storage systems in developing countries; and (iii) policy and regulatory considerations for the deployment of storage for power systems. Additionally, the partnership coordinated the development of five additional partner-led knowledge products alongside the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Global Battery Alliance (GBA)the Canadian National Research Council (NRC), . Those include two comprehensive presentations about multiple energy storage business cases and flexible sector coupling initiatives with an energy storage component. The partnership with the Korea Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF) has enabled the ESP to develop the Energy Storage Sizing App, intended to inform early discussions around solar PV and battery energy storage hybrid projects in developing countries. Moreover, the ESP continues to launch interactive webinar series with ground-breaking energy storage technology providers in order to present complementary technologies to the ones currently leading the market.

WHO ARE OUR ESP PARTNERS? get to know them here.

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