With increasing variable renewable energy generation, governments and state-owned electricity companies have shown concern about the impact on electricity grids and the need for large-scale storage including battery storage. Some developing member countries have opted to curtail renewable energy, even if it is only a small share of overall power generation. How can this challenge be resolved – what are the policies changes needed and how can the private sector support such efforts? What is the role of energy storage and what regulations are needed to trigger greater investments from the private sector? What are the different types of energy storage solutions and how are these being deployed in the region? What will be the role of distributed renewable energy solutions and energy storage?

This session will provide a comprehensive view of implementation of variable renewable energy (VRE) and battery energy storage systems (BESS) across the region. Presentations will cover ADB's groundbreaking BESS project in Mongolia and the possible application of this approach across the region; a decade of experience with renewable energy expansion across the Pacific Islands; the challenges faced, and and strategies being deployed to integrate variable renewable energy in Lao PDR while ensuring grid stability; the potential of on-site energy storage to drive investments in renewable energy within the textiles and apparel industry across Southeast and South Asia; the critical role of long-duration energy storage, and a review of a suite of technologies available today that are able to store renewable energy for multiple hours, days, weeks and seasonally. The session will also include a presentation reviewing technologies and business prospects for lithium extraction from geothermal brine in Indonesia. This session promises to be a valuable learning experience for anyone interested in the latest developments in renewable energy and storage technologies.