In 2016, the U.S. consumed 10.16 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu) of renewable energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That number is expected to rise to 10.934 quadrillions Btu by 2018.

Many have hailed renewable energy resources, such as wind, solar, hydropower and geothermal power, as the answer to the question of how to reduce our carbon emissions and slow climate change, while also providing affordable, adequate energy to consumers.

One part of the solution to this issue is energy storage. Scientists continue to research, develop and deploy various technologies that store energy when there’s excess and release it into the grid when needed. For example, a wind farm can store the energy it creates during the night when demand is low, then release it into the grid during peak demand hours the next day.

Here are five energy storage technologies:

  • Batteries
  • Compressed Air
  • Pumped Hydroelectric
  • Cryogenic
  • Thermal

Right now, engineers are utilizing a combination of different energy sources - battery, compressed air, hydroelectric, cryogenic and thermal - based on the location of the power system, to store the excess energy produced during renewable energy production to address current issues with emissions, security, distribution and peak demand.

Read the full article by Megan Ray Nichols about renewable energy from University of Cambridge