Global Solar Council launches first global trade association for battery storage

Washington DC-based membership body the Global Solar Council is embracing worldwide battery energy storage deployment by becoming what it says is “the world’s first global trade association for battery storage.”

The nonprofit announced the move yesterday at New York Climate Week and the 80th United Nations General Assembly and the “Connecting the Sun” report it prepared for global leaders included recommendations for accelerating worldwide battery deployment.

The GSC wants countries to implement national storage strategies and incorporate batteries into energy system planing; to reward the grid flexibility and grid services provided by batteries; to construct regional super-grids and interconnectors to drive further network flexibility; to de-risk solar and energy storage investment in developing markets; and to accelerate new energy storage technology such as grid forming inverters to bolster energy system resilience and flexibility.

The GSC added that it has initiated partnerships with the Global Battery Alliance, the International Battery and Energy Storage Alliance (IBESA), and the Future Storage and Systems Integration Alliance (FESSIA) to span mining, manufacturing, deployment, and recycling.

“Today we are pioneering an entirely new era of global energy leadership,” said Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar Council. “Until today, the world’s fastest-growing energy storage technology had no unified global voice. That changes now. Solar and storage have evolved from complementary technologies to an integrated solution transforming how the world thinks about reliable, locally produced power. GSC is stepping up to lead this transformation because we need to move beyond traditional silos. We need to help policymakers understand and implement the pivotal infrastructure this decade requires.” 

Support came from company CEOs and dignitaries backing the new alliance:

“A modern grid depends on grid-supporting technologies,” said Jürgen Reinert, CEO of SMA Solar Technology, which is listed as an author/supporter of the Connecting the Sun report. “Only by integrating solar and storage solutions and intelligent energy management can we unlock the full potential of solar power – making it reliable, flexible, and secure for everyone.”  

“Solar plus storage together represent the most decisive step humanity can take to secure a clean, resilient, and affordable energy future,” said Erik Solheim, GSC Global Ambassador and former head of UNEP, and former Minister of Energy for Norway.

In the report, the GSC said it will represent the sub-8 hour battery storage / BESS market, but “remains unwavering in its support for other renewable and storage technologies.”

Previously, SolarPower Europe launched the Battery Storage Europe Platform to advance the business model and regulatory framework for battery energy storage across the European Union, and has called for a tenfold increase in battery energy storage in Europe by 2030. The GSC takes a broader, global view, while advancing similar goals.