LDES Council Adds Five Members, Demonstrating Diversity of LDES Applications

• ARECOR, Augwind, bp, ESB, and Royal Vopak joining as new members
• Expansion represents a diverse range of industry leaders and innovators committed to accelerating decarbonization at lowest cost by driving innovation, commercialisation and deployment of long duration energy storage technologies

Brussels, 26 Aug. – The Long Duration Energy Storage Council is pleased to announce the addition of five new members, demonstrating the diversity of use cases and applications for LDES technologies and adding additional momentum to the organisation’s efforts to accelerate decarbonization efforts through the deployment and scaling of LDES. 

bp and Royal Vopak are joining as anchor members, ESB is joining as service provider, and ARECOR and Augwind are joining as new technology members. 

The LDES Council is a global non-profit organization that seeks to accelerate the global decarbonisation of energy systems by ensuring that the value of LDES technologies is recognised and compensated. The LDES Council, with more than 60 members in 20 countries, provides member-driven, fact-based guidance and research on LDES, which represents a USD $4 trillion market. LDES Council members represent the entire LDES global energy value chain – disruptive technology companies, innovative renewable energy companies, forward-looking equipment providers, utilities, investors, and end-users. 

“We are honored to welcome these industry leading organisations to the Long Duration Energy Storage Council,” Chief Executive Officer Julia Souder said. “Their contributions elevate our collective expertise and advance our work to drive the deployment and scaling of LDES technologies as a critical input to accelerate a clean and equitable energy transition.” 

The LDES Council and its members support public and stakeholder education and needed policy and market development actions globally to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030. The Council helped spur the introduction of new global mandates for 100 gigawatts of capacity last year. 

ARECOR
ARECOR is a pioneering force in the energy sector, committed to transforming the energy landscape by providing sustainable, affordable, and reliable 24/7 baseload energy solutions. Specializing in hydrokinetic river energy generation, boasting a 95% capacity factor, and advanced pumped hydro energy storage, ARECOR offers the most cost-effective and least GHG emitting baseload and dispatchable energy solutions on the market, outperforming even solar and wind with battery storage. With a $150 million investment in R&D over 17 years, ARECOR's hydrokinetic turbine has achieved the highest power output globally and is now ready for commercialization. The company operates as both a developer and an Independent Power Producer (IPP) upon project commissioning, with 1.33GW ($5 billion) in secured projects. Dedicated to advancing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, ARECOR is a leader in river energy generation and hydro storage, driving global progress towards a resilient, reliable, and renewable energy future. For more information, visit https://www.arecorenergy.com/

Augwind
Augwind aims to promote net zero carbon emissions by providing grid scale multiday energy storage technology- the AirBattery. Our technology combines cost effective geological storage with highly efficient isothermal air compression and expansion processes. The AirBattery relies on our unique liquid piston process, utilizing water pumps and constant heat exchange between earth, water and air. The AirBattery will deliver a round-trip efficiency greater than 60% over a long life span greater than 50 years. It will provide highly decarbonized grids with the much needed back up power to counter long undersupply events of variable renewable energy. 

“Augwind strives to provide a green and cost-effective energy storage solution that would help decarbonize grids throughout the world. While innovation is key to decarbonization, true disruption of the energy sector requires a cumulative effort from many stakeholders. Augwind is thrilled to partner with the LDES Council in its vision to create the much-needed ecosystem for a 100% renewable future,” said Founder and Interim CEO Or Yogev, Ph.D.

bp
bp’s purpose is reimagining energy for people and our planet. We want to help the world reach net zero and improve people’s lives. We will aim to dramatically reduce carbon in our operations and in our production, and grow new low carbon businesses, products and services. We will advocate for fundamental and rapid progress towards Paris and strive to be a leader in transparency. We know we don’t have all the answers and will listen and work with others. We want to be an energy company with purpose; one that is trusted by society, valued by shareholders and motivating for everyone who works at bp. We believe we have the experience and expertise, the relationships and the reach, the skill and the will, to do this.

At bp, we believe the world wants and needs a better and more balanced energy system that delivers secure, affordable and lower carbon energy. LDES could be a vital part of enabling this energy transition. bp has joined the LDES Council to partner across the industry to find effective ways of developing, piloting and scaling LDES technologies,” Dr. Kevin West, Head of Technology Research, Advanced Energy Solutions, said.

ESB
ESB has been Ireland's foremost energy company since our establishment in 1927, driven by an unwavering commitment to power society forward and deliver a net-zero energy future for our customers and the communities we serve.

Achieving net zero will require the deployment of new energy technologies at a massive scale capable of providing reliable, affordable, low-carbon energy when intermittent renewable power from the wind or the sun is unavailable. It is important therefore that ESB understands new technologies that are under development to position itself to respond and take advantage of these emerging technologies.

"At ESB, we recognise how important solutions such as long duration energy storage will be to deliver a net zero electricity system. They will be crucial to support the evolving network and will facilitate ever more onshore wind, offshore wind and solar onto our electricity system in the coming decades. To support and enable our net zero by 2040 strategy ESB is developing a pipeline of projects to deliver long duration energy storage solutions as well as additional flexible enabling technologies. This partnership with the LDES Council is aligned with our strategy and will allow us to contribute and share our innovative ideas with like-minded partners in transition to a net zero electricity system," said Emerging Technology and R&D Manager John Walsh. 

Royal Vopak
Royal Vopak helps the world flow forward. At ports around the world, we provide storage and infrastructure solutions for vital products that enrich everyday life. These products include liquids and gases that provide energy for homes and businesses, chemicals for manufacturing products, and edible oils for cooking. For all of these, our worldwide network of terminals supports the global flow of supply and demand. For more than 400 years, Vopak has been at the forefront of fundamental transformations. With a focus on safety, reliability, and efficiency, we create new connections and opportunities that drive progress. Now more than ever, our talented people are applying this mindset to support the energy transition. Together with our partners and customers, we are accelerating the development of infrastructure solutions for hydrogen, ammonia, CO₂, long-duration energy storage, and low-carbon fuels & feedstocks – paving the way to a more sustainable future.www.vopak.com

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About the LDES Council
The LDES Council is a global non-profit with over 60 members across 20 countries. The LDES Council works to accelerate the decarbonisation of our world through the application of long duration energy storage (LDES). The LDES Council provides member-driven, fact-based guidance and research to governments, grid operators, and major electricity users on the deployment of long duration energy storage for society's benefit by decreasing emissions, lowering costs, and adding flexibility to energy systems to strengthen resilience.

Media contact:
Todd Zeranski|
tzeranski@ldescouncil.com