Energy storage is growing in importance, and falling in cost, as solar PV, wind, and other renewables become a greater part of generation, and the grid becomes more sophisticated; batteries are a key type of solution, and flow batteries offer many advantages for large-scale and behind the meter storage. This report examines the global market trends, scenarios and opportunities for battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the next 5-10 years, as well as the current and projected technoeconomics of flow batteries in terms of levelized cost of storage and total investment cost.

Polyesters are a family of materials made from a dicarboxylic acid and an alcohol with two or more hydroxy functionalities.  The alternating reaction of a carboxylic acid and a hydroxy group, called a condensation reaction, yields a polyester.  This report covers a number of specialty polyesters, including PETG, PTT, Copolyester (i.e. TRITAN) and a thermoplastic elastomeric polyester generically referred to as copolyester elastomer (COPE).   PET and PBT are covered in separate TECH reports; PETG, PTT and Copolyester were selected for coverage as they are the largest volume materials of the remaining materials.  COPE is covered due to its interesting properties and ongoing growth opportunities. 

This report examines the technology, cost of production, environmental impacts & restrictions, and markets for the leading fluorocarbons that are widely utilized today, as well as the latest fluorocarbons that are being commercialized to replace legacy fluorocarbons that have negative environmental impacts.

Thermal energy storage (TES) technologies and systems provide a major opportunity for better economic benefits and enhanced energy management.  This includes expected mismatches in supply and demand for cooling or heating requirements, thereby offsetting differences in time and magnitude of cooling or heating production.  TES can also jointly assist in harnessing and integrating “stranded” renewable power supply through possible co-location with distributed energy resources such as based on solar and wind energy.  This report provides an overview of the various developing and commercial TES technologies in the United States and includes a methodology for structuring the levelized cost of storage (LCOS).