Background
The IEA Implementing Agreement “Energy Conservation through Energy Storage” has contributed significantly to the development of energy storage technologies in the participating countries. These energy storage technologies are considered a strategic and necessary component for the efficient utilization of renewable energy sources and for energy conservation. The energy storage technologies developed and demonstrated involve underground thermal energy storage, thermal energy storage in phase change materials, and technologies for electrical energy storage.
To promote the implementation of thermal energy storage in building energy supply systems, the most energy and cost effective applications have been identified in the framework of Annex 8 to the Implementing Agreement. However, for the large scale deployment of new, energy efficient technologies in the energy market a greater effort is required from all stakeholders. This conclusion is not typical to energy storage technologies, but also holds for other energy efficient technologies like heat pumps, as well as renewables like solar and wind. This situation is recognized by the OECD/IEA and has resulted in the publication of two books:
- Enhancing the Market Deployment of Energy Technology – a survey of eight technologies (IEA, 1997);
- Creating Markets for Energy Technologies (IEA, 2002).
In both books it is concluded that the responsibility for market deployment cannot be left to private companies only, but is the responsibility of governments too.
“If new technologies are to deliver their potential, they must be commercially launched in a way that leads to effective penetration of the many and varied markets for energy equipment and services. The process of technology deployment can be long and complex and the rate at which it occurs is influenced by many variables, including government policies and programmes……”(IEA ,1997).
“Deployment policy and programmes are critical for the rapid development of cleaner, more sustainable energy technologies and markets. While technology and market development is driven by the private sector, government has a key role to play in sending clear signals to the market about the public good outcomes it wishes to achieve”and “In the end it is the combined effect of technology potential and customer acceptance that makes an impact on the market and hence on energy systems. Developing a deeper understanding of both, including how they are influenced by the actions of government, is an essential ingredient of effective deployment policy.” (IEA, 2002).
Objectives
The objectives of the work to be performed under this Annex are:
- To assess the most prospective applications (market segments) for one or more of the energy storage technologies developed in this Implementing Agreement: Underground Thermal Energy Storage (UTES), Phase Change Material Storage (PCMS) and Electrical Energy Storage (EES)[1].
- To develop deployment strategies for these prospective market segments.
To achieve these objectives, it is considered essential that the activities in the framework of this Annex will be carried out by marketing experts, in close cooperation with specialists in energy storage, representatives of the private sector, and policy makers. As a minimum, each national team shall consist of one marketing expert and one specialist in energy storage.