As the whole region continues to create and develop renewable energy initiatives and programs, a large part of their attention has now been directed to the potential offered by storing produced energy–which could successfully result in the deployment of electricity on a non-stop 24-hour basis. This was the general opinion raised by some of the world’s leading experts in the field of energy that took part in a special three-day activity focused on exploring the potential role of grid scale energy in the ongoing efforts to enable the effective use of renewable energy resources. The event, entitled ‘Energy Storage Forum,’ is the result of a strategic collaboration between the Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA), a joint stock company subscribed to by six Gulf States, in strategic collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the world’s pre-eminent independent, non-profit energy research and development organization. The forum served as a strategic venue to discuss the many challenges that the energy industry is currently facing–like planning issues, deployment and difficulties faced in energy storage.

According to GCCIA senior officials, battery storage complements like lithium-ion batteries are now being seen as a highly feasible solution to the MIddle East region’s continuing quest for promising energy storage technologies. This can also be attributed to the decreased cost of lithium, longer storage capabilities and lifetime expectancy. In line with this, participants at the forum were presented with a five-pronged set of points to be addressed–the potential of energy storage in energy transformation; the current state of the world’s market in energy storage; the presence of opportunities and challenges in key areas across the Middle East and North African (MENA) region; the sharing of lessons and experiences gained in energy storage and the creation of a strategic roadmap for the development and further growth of the energy storage segment.

In his welcome address to the event, Eng. Ahmed Al Ebrahim, CEO, GCCIA, said, “The forum is a collaboration with EPRI, focusing on energy storage at both a regional and global scale. The need to discover energy storage solutions is a common goal shared by both the GCCIA and EPRI–we should seriously consider this and this event will allow us to learn more and address the challenges of energy storage.”

The first day of the event featured a keynote message from Dr. Arshad Mansoor, President & CEO, EPRI, on the achievement of a sustainable power sector. This was followed by a panel discussion on sustainability in the power sector wherein panelists tackled the economical aspect of energy storage–which is to provide an overview of energy storage, market drivers, applications, cost-benefit considerations, technologies, and deployment considerations.

The second day of the event started off with a presentation from Elliot Mainzer, CEO, California Independent System Operator (CAISO), focused on California’s sustainability vision and its current progress–including plans to deploy energy storage, drivers in California, and the challenges CAISO faces in ensuring reliable and economic electric power. The second session of the morning featured an engaging roundtable discussion on the energy storage global market overview, with panelists sharing their respective practices in planning and implementing storage initiatives.

Afternoon sessions of the second day were highlighted with case studies highlighting real world experiences related to energy storage deployment and the key considerations for safety, reliability, and economics. The day was capped off with a discussion featuring the practical applications associated with hydrogen production, storage and utilization.

Leading names in energy and power like Haresh Kamath, Director of Distributed Energy Resources and Energy Storage, EPRI; Gabe Murtaugh, Storage Sector Manager, California Independent System Operator; Ahmed Albalawi, Head of Renewables and Energy Storage Research, Saudi Electric Company; Gauri Singh, Deputy Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency; and Frank Wouters, Director EU-GCC, Clean Energy Network, to name a few, were present at the exciting three-day forum.

“The GCCIA extends its thanks and acknowledgement to the experts present at the ‘Energy Storage Forum.’ The recommendations made from discussions over the last few days will help our stakeholders in their continuing efforts to support the development of safe, reliable, economic, and environmentally responsible solutions tailored for the region’s needs,” concluded Al Ebrahim.