Example
Batteries can shift electricity from one period to another.
The catch
Storage has losses and does not generate primary energy itself.
Related terms
Electrification, Energy conservation, Energy efficiency, Fossil fuel, Heat pump, Renewable energy
In more depth
Energy storage, explained.
Energy storage lets a grid run on variable renewable energy by moving supply from windy or sunny hours to the hours when people need it. Batteries cover short gaps. Pumped hydro, the longest-established form of grid storage, moves water uphill when power is cheap and lets it run back through turbines when power is scarce. Hot-water tanks and heat stores do similar work for buildings at lower cost.
Seasonal storage, holding summer solar power for winter heating, remains far harder and costlier. A battery also has no climate virtue of its own. Its effect depends on what charges it and what it displaces, so storing coal power at night to replace gas at the evening peak can raise emissions on some grids.