Copper’s Role in Grid Energy Storage Applications
The market for energy storage in the U.S. is robust and rapidly changing, with strong governmental and venture capital investments, successful
demonstration projects and recent technological advancements all contributing to future growth.
Currently, the majority of the energy storage market is in:
Mature Technologies
48
2
18 28
45 25
44
55
1,010
0.3 to 4 tons per MW
Newer Technologies
685
Ancillary Services
CES
Transmission
Renewables
Other Distributed
115
500
1,000
Estimated Current Installed Capacity (MW)
3% 1%
• Thermal energy storage
• Pumped hydro power
• Compressed air energy storage (CAES) 12%
• Distributed applications
• Integration of renewables – wind and solar PVs
32%
Pumped Hydro
Thermal
Li-ion
CAES
Lead Acid
Nickel
Sodium
Flywheels
The range of copper content
found in storage installations.
= 1 ton of copper
15%
DOE Smart Grid Demonstration Grant 17%
3% 1%
12%
32%
15%
17%
20%
20%
1% Battery _ Lead Carbon
3% Battery _ Sodium-ion
12% Battery _ Other
15% Flywheel
17% Flow Batteries
20% Battery _ Li-ion
32% CAES
Battery _ Lead Carbon
$7721%
million
$240 billion
The amount forecasted by industry analysts that will be invested in grid
_
3% Battery
storage applications in the U.S. through 2020.
Amount
invested bySodium-ion
the federal government through the grant
_ Other MW of 537.3.
program
an associated
12%with
Battery
15% Flywheel
17% Flow Batteries
20% Battery _ Li-ion
300 gigawatts
(GW)
United States, Western Europe and China represent
Copper. Essential to Sustainable Energy.
32% CAES
the largest markets for energy storage.
Copper’s durability, efficiency, reliability,
superior conductivity and safety play key
roles in the batteries, wiring, and motors
used by these devices. Lithium-ion, flow
and sodium batteries as well as flywheels,
CAES, and pumped hydropower are strong
= 100 GW
users of copper at the unit level, and certain
pieces of electrical equipment and supporting
infrastructure—such as transformers,
The estimated global opportunity for energy
generators, inverters, cooling systems, other
storage over the next 10 to 20 years, valued
motors and wiring—also rely on the metal.
between $200 and $600 billion.
Sources: Market Evaluation for Energy Storage in the United States, KEMA, Inc., January 2012.