"ESS 6x Expansion"... Korea Joins Energy Storage and Power Grid Pledge at COP29

The 29th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo by Yonhap News.

The South Korean government has joined the Global Energy Storage & Power Grid Pledge, aiming to expand energy storage systems (ESS) sixfold by 2030.

According to Climate Solutions on the 22nd, South Korea participated in the Global Energy Storage & Power Grid Pledge at the 29th United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

This pledge aims to expand global ESS capacity to 1,500 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, six times the 250 GW recorded in 2022, and to add or upgrade 80 million kilometers of power grids by 2040 to secure a flexible power system centered on renewable energy.

With South Korea joining this pledge, it is expected that the country will establish policies to significantly expand ESS in the future. As of 2022, South Korea's cumulative ESS capacity stands at about 4.1 GW. According to the pledge, this should be expanded to 25 GW by 2030.

ESS is a system that stores surplus electricity and supplies it when needed, playing a crucial role in resolving imbalances between electricity demand and supply and enhancing the stability of the power grid. By storing electricity during periods of low demand and using it during peak demand times, energy efficiency can be improved.

This Global Energy Storage & Power Grid Pledge is an extension of the 'Triple Renewable Energy Expansion Pledge' signed by 123 countries, including the South Korean government, at COP28 held last year. Expanding ESS is important to compensate for the volatility of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. In April this year, at the G7 Climate, Energy, and Environment Ministers' Meeting held in Torino, the G7 governments agreed to expand ESS capacity fivefold by 2030.